humbling thorn

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

2 Corinthians 12:7

Paul admits to two long-term struggles here. One is physical (the infamously ambiguous “thorn... in the flesh”) and the other is spiritual (conceit). Interestingly, the physical problem was given to Paul by God in order to keep the spiritual problem in check. Bookending Paul’s admission of this unwanted “thorn” is the rationale for why Paul suffered this pain: “to keep me from being conceited”. God knew that giving Paul the apostolic revelations he received, without a thorn to temper his pride, would result in a conceited, useless man. And so the glorious truth came at physical cost so that God could have a humbled, obedient, Christ-focused servant.

Paul did not like this “thorn” though. It was “a messenger of Satan to harass” him. It was painful. It was no fun. It was constant. But Paul appreciated that God in wisdom kept the thorn in him for his betterment. God answered Paul’s repeated pleas to remove it with a firm declaration that it would stay, but also with a promise that His grace is sufficient for those who must live with the pain of the shrapnel of thorns.

And this truth strengthened Paul to bear the physical pain. What’s more, he accepted it with the grace that was given to bear it, so that “boasting” in weaknesses became a halllmark of Paul’s ministry. He trusted that the God Who gave him daily grace in the carrying of the thorn would also carry Him through any other difficulty. God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

Even today, God’s power is made great in our weakness. It is best if I am weak. I am strong in the pain of any thorn. I am most useful when I am humbled by what God is doing. Bring me low in pain, so that I might have much power to be upon me! I will thrive when I am trusting God in my difficulties. I will praise Him, then, when I have a thorn!