2 Corinthians 12:7-10 | A thorn in the flesh
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. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 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. 10 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.
Thorns Have Purpose
“Lest I should be exalted above measure.” Thorns serve a purpose—they may kill pride or help us overcome other besetting sins we struggle with as Christians. They prevent us from focusing solely on the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives. While remembering His blessings is good, dwelling too much on them can lead to pride. We may begin to attribute His blessings to our own merit, and soon after, we fall: “Pride goeth before destruction.” God places thorns in our lives to prevent the strong areas of our lives from swelling into pride-filled ones.
Thorns Have Pricks
We might be tempted to think a thorn is a small thing, since thorns are not large. But rest assured, the Apostle was being modest in describing his ailment, whatever it may have been. The exact nature of the thorn is unknown, but in the rest of the letter, he details the many sorrows he endured in the ministry of the Gospel. It seems likely this thorn is connected to the general hardships he faced rather than a single isolated issue.
This thorn was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The word “buffet” is the same one used when Jesus was spit upon and beaten during His mock trial. Just as Satan was allowed to buffet the Apostle, Israel and Rome were allowed to strike our Savior. There will be times, dear reader, when we too are given into the enemy’s hands to be buffeted. In these moments, we may wonder, “Where is God? Where is justice? Why have I been buffeted for serving God?” Rest assured, amidst the buffeting, a greater plan is at work. Just as Christ's buffeting led to our salvation and the Apostle’s suffering kept pride at bay and pressed him into prayer, so do our thorns, though painful, serve a divine purpose.
Thorns Help Prayer
“How do I handle my thorn?” someone might ask. The answer is the same as Paul’s—by prayer. Ask God to remove it. If He doesn’t answer, ask again. Keep asking until you hear from the Lord. The first blessing of a thorn is that it leads us to persistent prayer, just as it did the Apostle. Your thorns, long before you recognize their benefit, will bless and strengthen you. While we cry out and seek God, we rarely consider how lifeless our prayers had been before the present weakness came to buffet us. If this were the only blessing of a thorn, it would still be a great blessing. But here is the greatest blessing of all: “He said unto me!” It is wonderful to talk to God, but even more so when He speaks to us! The thorn has brought us the opportunity to hear His sweet voice again. Oh, blessed thorn that brings my Savior’s voice to me!
Thorns Perfect Us
What does He say? “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” With just fourteen words, our Lord calms the storm of grief in the Apostle’s heart. He does not remove the thorn, as He placed it there, but He pours a balm into the Apostle’s heart and mind, making the thorn bearable, even blessed. Jesus doesn’t focus on Paul’s weakness but on His own grace and strength. Paul had been fixated on the thorn—on his weaknesses, betrayals, and sufferings. When we focus too much on our pain, we often forget to look up. It seems as though the Lord is saying, “Focus, Paul. Look to Me—My grace, My strength.”
Oh, blessed Lord, I too have spent too long looking at my troubles. Thank You for reminding me to look to You, the author and finisher of my faith! Truly, Your grace is always sufficient. Your strength, which framed the world and conquered death, is more than enough to handle my small problems. Yet He doesn’t just refocus Paul but reveals a truth to him: “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Thorns perfect our dependence on His strength, not our own. When our strength is available, we will almost always rely on it. But when we are weak and still called to serve, we must tap into a power not our own. Have you ever prayed, “Lord, I can’t”? Like Moses, Jacob, and Paul, it is when we have no strength that we are forced to rely on His power. This is the key to a life that glorifies God. If something is going to glorify God, it must come from Him and through Him. When we have no strength, we must trust Him for His—and this service, rooted in God and not in us, will grow into eternal glory.
Thorns Lead to Praise
In the end, we see that this thorn is truly a blessing. “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.” The Apostle, who had just been asking for the thorn to be removed, is now leaping and rejoicing because of it! This is the power of God’s Word when He speaks in our hour of need. Nothing about the thorn changed, but Paul’s perspective did. He now sees it from God’s point of view and is thankful for it. So thankful that he no longer asks for its removal but glories in it, knowing that God placed it there for his good.
Dear reader, have the thorns of Christian service become more than you can bear? The truth is, they are more than you can bear—on your own. Let those weaknesses drive you to your knees. Cry out to Him, plead with Him, pray until, like Paul, you hear His sweet voice and gain His perspective. From there, you can leap, shout, and thank God, knowing that His hand was always on the thorn.
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