Commit Your Thorns to the Lord

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

The greatest example of the principle Paul communicates here was lived by Jesus Himself.

As Alan Redpath explained, “Could anyone on earth be meeker than the Son of God, to be hung on the cross, hung in our place that He might redeem us from our sins? [Just] as that point of absolute weakness was met by the mighty power of God as He raised Him from the dead, I wonder if the pressure of the thorn in Paul’s life was a reminder of the power of the cross.”

We should never think that the mere presence of a thorn in our lives means the glory and strength of Jesus will shine in us and through us. You can resist God’s grace and refuse to set your mind on Jesus, and then find your thorn cursing you instead of blessing you.

“Without the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, thorns are productive of evil rather than good. In many people, their thorn in the flesh does not appear to have fulfilled any admirable design at all; it has created another vice, instead of removing a temptation.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Instead of using his experience to glorify himself (as the “super apostles” among the Corinthian Christians did), Paul relates how his whole glorious experience humbled him more than ever.

All Paul’s enemies could see was the thorn; they could not see how and why it was there. But Paul knew, so he rejoiced even in his thorn in the flesh.

Prompt: Are there ways you are tempted to resist God when you suffer? Commit your “thorns” to Jesus in prayer and humility, and receive the sustaining grace of God today. Live in the reality that God’s grace is sufficient for you.

Based on The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.

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God bless you as you trust in His all-sufficient grace!