In this verse of 2 Corinthians, Paul tells his readers about his “thorn in the flesh.” Scholars have debated quite extensively about what Paul’s actual problem was; it must have been serious for him to tell his readers. Some say it was poor eyesight, others suggest that it was the persecution he was suffering for his faith. Could it have been a speech impediment, or a frozen behaviour he was battling with? No one knows for sure. He describes it as something that tormented him, and that it was given to him by someone sent by Satan himself. What we know is that he was stuck with this affliction, he couldn’t get rid of it; and we know this is the case because he prayed and prayed to God to take it away and God didn’t remove it.
The end result, in Paul’s mind, was that this affliction prevented him from being too “elated.” Even in the midst of his joy or satisfaction, or sense of achievement, there was always this thing that was bringing him down. A lot of us have a thorn in the flesh, a problem or affliction that just won’t go away, no matter how hard we pray to God to remove it, or make it better.
My own personal thorn is chronic migraine, and these headaches usually happen after I’ve been involved in concentrated effort or work. And they are debilitating. The pain is such that I can’t function, sometimes for two to three days straight. I go from a state of achievement and possibility, motivation, drive and joyful optimism, to a state of stagnation, frustration and sheer agony. Eventually the pain lifts and I get back to normal again. But the cycle brings me down, and I think about Paul. And I thank Paul too, for being so honest with us and for showing us that, within this limitation there is a space to reveal God’s glory. God works through us, and these handbrakes on our happiness, these things that over shadow our elation, are there for a reason.
Paul said that his problem was sent by a messenger of Satan, and that may have well been the case, but no matter how these afflictions arise, or where they come from, they are indeed a way to connect more closely and seriously to God, the source of all comfort and joy. Let’s face it, if everything went our own way, if we had perfect lives, perfect health, and if we had everything we wanted, would that bring us closer to God? Would we even need God in our lives? We would be elated, for sure, but sooner or later, we would take it all for granted, God would not factor in our lives because the happiness we find in earthly comfort and pleasures will displace our joy in God. The end result is complacency, and that is a sin that can creep in and leave people with a lack of real meaning. It shuts people off from saying yes to God’s grace. Complacency is something that is a barrier to receiving God’s word. “I’ve got everything I want, why on earth do I have to have God in my life?”
When we have a challenge, a weakness or issue that we can’t get rid of or overcome, this gives us an opportunity to bring God front and centre. We pray, a lot, we bring God into our day to day. God may not remove the pain or anxiety, but he is there comforting us, through his Spirit. Paul tells us that he appealed three times to the Lord to take the affliction away and God said to him that God’s grace was sufficient because, “power is made perfect in weakness.” (2Cor 12:9)
What God is telling us is that the best way to face these insurmountable problems and issues is not to fight, or be angry or stress about them but, instead, to accept and go with them, allow the ebb and flow of the down time to happen without pushing back or losing faith. This may on the surface appear to be a “weakness” but God tells us that within this weakness lies a kind of perfection. And what is the power that is made perfect in weakness? It’s God’s power reflected and shining in our own attitude to our intractable problems. We deal with our thorns with faith and trust in God, with acceptance and maturity, and in this way what appears to be weakness is, in fact, a beautiful demonstration of the power of God in our lives. God gives us the strength and the comfort we need to deal with these issues, and he will always give the Holy Spirit to all who ask for him (Luke 11:13).
So I know that, at this stage in my life, I’m sort of stuck with my migraines. They come and they go, but while I’m in the middle of one, I pray, I trust, I accept, and as I’m lying there with a pack on my head, unable to do all the things I could be doing if I wasn’t laid up in bed, I think about Paul, and I talk to Jesus.
Even though we have our down times, they’re also a time to be close to our Lord Jesus, to ask for the Holy Spirit and to feel the comfort and solace that only faith in our loving God can bring. We’re never alone and he keeps all his promises.
Amen.
Tell Out My Soul 
Leave a comment