THORNS

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." - 2 Corinthians 12:7

Life is not easy or simple.  Often life consists of deep valleys, long nights and painful days.  We yearn for the simple life, a life free from pain and problems.  Such a life will not be found here on earth --- at least, not now.

There are some who believe that if you have faith in God, all problems will melt away.  The Bible, as well as real life, refutes this belief.  The fact is that being a follower of Jesus does not make us immune to pain or problems.  Our faith can actually make us targets for the enemy, which may create even more pain. 

The Apostle Paul knew about pain.  When he was converted, his life was destined to endure sufferings for the sake of Christ.  As he was writing an epistle to the Corinthians, he shared a personal struggle he had faced.  Paul referred to this problem as a "thorn in the flesh."  A thorn in the flesh is a very painful thing.  When a thorn stabs you, you quickly seek to pull it out.  As long as the thorn remains implanted in your flesh, the pain seems to get worse.

The thorn that Paul referred to was not an actual thorn, but something in his life that caused him great personal pain.  He did not elaborate on the thorn's true identity.  Instead, Paul focused on the purpose and the product of the thorn

1.  THE PURPOSE FOR PAUL'S THORN

Paul's thorn came from the devil.  I do believe the devil exists.  We see spiritual warfare raging before our eyes.  The devil is at work.  Paul referred to his thorn as being a messenger of Satan sent "to buffet me."  Yet the Lord permitted this thorn to inflict Paul.  Through his experience, Paul realized that "... lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh..."  Paul had exception spiritual experiences.  But with these experiences came the great temptation to be proud and gloat over these experiences.  God permitted this thorn to penetrate Paul's life so that he may remain humble and usable. 

2.  THE PRODUCT OF PAUL'S THORN

Paul prayed three times for the thorn to be removed.  After his third request, God answered Paul:  "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  Paul experienced God's power in a great dimension as he suffered with the thorn.  The humility produced by the thorn had caused Paul to stay close to God & experience His power. 

Paul's conclusion is a startling statement:  "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."  How many Christians do you know would prefer pain to pleasure?  Paul recognized something in his pain that most of us never do.  Painful experiences draw us closer to the One who endured great pain for us.  When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he mentioned that he longed for "the fellowship of His sufferings."  There is a special bond between the Savior and the suffering saint.  This depth of fellowship cannot be enjoyed or appreciated apart from pain.  For Paul, such an experience made a connection between pain and power. 

I have met many saints through the years.  The ones who inspire me most are the ones who suffered the most.  They had a spiritual glow about their lives.  They were walking through deep valleys, but they were not walking the valleys alone. 

Walking a valley of pain is a shattering experience for some.  For others, it is a time to walk with God in a greater way than ever.

Thorns do come our way.  Sometimes the Lord graciously removes the thorns, in His time.  Then there are thorns he permits to remain.  If these thorns bring you closer to Jesus, perhaps, like Paul, you should thank God for them.

When thorns come your way, just remember that your Savior wore a crown of thorns before His crucifixion.  You're in good company with Him!

Perhaps thorns aren't so bad after all.