Thorns in the Flesh?

2 Samuel 19; Psalm 74; Ezekiel 26; 2 Corinthians 12

A pastor shared how his diabetic condition is especially challenging on Sundays because his emotions push up his blood sugar. Another Christian shares a difficult family situation. Another one is raising two little ones alone because there is no work here for her husband who lives on another continent. The more God’s people share with me, the more I realize that all of us have something in our lives to push us to our Refuge and to rely on our Strong Tower, Jesus Christ rather than ourselves. The Apostle Paul was no different . . .

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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

Paul was defending himself against a group of Christians characterized by boasting, even boasting about their spiritual experiences. Paul was reluctant to respond with his own spiritual stories because he was not concerned about his achievements but what God was doing through him and the gospel. For that reason, he shared a vision but along with it the reality of his own weaknesses and how God used a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from getting proud of himself.

Having an experience like his was incredible but His emphasis was not on himself Paul but on the power of Christ — which is best displayed in human weakness. He told them his weakness and how God did not remove it but gave him grace in it, a grace that was adequate that He might obey God despite it rather than making it go away.

How many times have I asked God to make my “thorns” go away? Like problems in a relationship, or a physical weakness like today’s sore muscles or the stress of being badly treated. But I’m realizing that sometimes the greater grace is doing the will of God with the problem rather than because it is gone. So Paul would not forget this, God gave him a constant reminder of his weakness.

Paul talks about himself in third person, partly to put the focus on the Lord. He shows me other ways to keep my stories from being a boast. One is telling how he was “not permitted to tell” his vision from several years prior because those who never had one were not in the same place in their spiritual lives as he was; therefore he was to be quiet. This shows his obedience when the temptation to boastfully share would be strong.

Another attitude comes out as well; Paul didn’t want people to think too much of him . . .

“ . . . though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.” (2 Corinthians 12:6)

This is rare. The reason for boasting is always to encourage our own reputation, but this man wanted to be judged by what he did and said, not by claims of visions and revelations that were inaccessible to others.

Also, as already mentioned, Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh” and how God used it to keep him “weak” even though he asked that it be removed. The average boaster would gladly share answers to prayer rather than their struggles in life without answers.

When Paul came to the end of himself, Christ alone was there. When he was weak, then Christ, by His strength, could make Paul spiritually strong. The bottom line is that those who serve Christ will be like Jesus. The Son of God was exalted as God in the flesh yet He called Himself the Son of Man and never boasted.

Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6–8)

APPLY: This God’s example for me too. It’s easy to get into one of those “my story is better” with braggarts but this is not the will of the Lord. When I’m with someone who is boasting about anything, their life or their experiences with the Lord, I need to speak only of His grace and my weaknesses, glorifying Him, never myself.