Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever heard someone say “I think that troublesome issue is my ‘thorn in the flesh'”? What did they mean by that?
Today will you join me with the apostle Paul as he is writing his letter of encouragement to his friends in the great, but often turbulent, city of Corinth, in the mid first century? It is Paul who used that phrase and he wrote it in his 12th chapter: “..in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a ‘thorn in the flesh‘, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” (2 Cor. 12:7) Oh my, now that is a remarkable statement, isn’t it? What was Paul talking about?
There are at least two significant inferences in this statement that I’ve wrestled with for some time, what about you?
First… Paul draws the remarkable conclusion that the PURPOSE of this ‘thorn in the flesh’ was: “to keep me from becoming conceited”. Do you recognize pride or ego or self advancement both in yourself and other people? Does it offend you? Are you drawn to such people or do you actually seek to avoid them? Many times, in many places in the Bible, we are instructed that PRIDE is very offensive to God! Did you know that? Paul had become quite prideful in his younger years as he passionately pursued being among the most accomplished and revered of the Pharisees in Jerusalem. (Gal. 1:14)
Somehow in his studies, it appears Paul had intentionally disregarded all the Scriptures which speak of God’s hatred for pride. (Prov. 8:13) Until finally Paul met resurrected Jesus. Paul was stunned as he came to understand how God the Son had humbled Himself to leave the glories of heaven to be born in a Bethlehem stable, live in a simple carpenter’s home in Nazareth, and die on a Roman cross. Paul urged us to follow Jesus’ example and be humble as Jesus was! (Phil. 2:1-11)
Paul was so impacted by Jesus’ humility that Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians: “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage, rather He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross…” (Phil. 2:6-8) Pause. Have we grasped what a very important issue pride is with God? Do we understand PRIDE was the core of Satan’s rebellion against God? (Ez. 28:17)
Second… Paul evidently concluded that it was Satan himself who had afflicted Paul with this ‘thorn in the flesh‘. I’m sure Paul many times reflected on the story of Job in the Old Testament and how God had permitted Satan to harass Job and actually destroy his family, his wealth and his health.
It appears God similarly permitted Satan to harass Paul with some persistent health issue which was a burden to Paul for much of his adult life. What it was is not nearly as important as the fact that each time Paul had to deal with it Paul was submitting himself to the sovereignty of God and that God had permitted this dark kingdom persecution! Now please don’t rush past that. Are you and I willing to recognize that sometimes our loving, Holy God allows difficult things in our lives which will ultimately bring Him great glory?
Now just because Paul recognized God was allowing his suffering, let’s not assume Paul was happy about it. In fact Paul wrote: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:8,9) Oh my, that is such a powerful statement which should cause us some deep reflection.
Paul did not use the word “pleaded” lightly. I presume Paul was a tough guy, with a high pain threshold, considering all he had suffered in his life. Remember Paul had written: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and day in the open sea…” (2 Cor. 11:24,25) Can we even begin to imagine the agony and suffering which is described in those 40 words?
It’s no wonder Paul PLEADED with God to remove this ‘thorn in the flesh’, whatever it was. Some Bible scholars believe it may have been an eyesight problem which is why Paul required a scribe to write the words he dictated for most of his letters. If so, might it have been something like macular degeneration or perhaps the result of the beatings or stoning? Was he perhaps nearly blind? Or was it a stomach problem which led Paul to write advice to Timothy about that? (1 Tim. 5:23)
Regardless of what this ‘thorn in the flesh’ was, Paul knew God had denied his pleading and instead God was glorified as Paul learned to depend upon the strength only God could supply for Paul to not only endure but actually flourish in his God given assignment as traveling, church planting apostle… suffering most of the time.
I have had the privilege of knowing many mature Christians, including a dear friend declining with the sad effects of ALS. Yet this man radiates the love of Jesus and the confidence that Jesus sustains him every minute of every day. As Bud knows tomorrow he may likely have just a little less body strength and muscle control than today. But how many times Bud has told me and others of the joy he has in knowing he is sustained each day by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in his life. Of course the same is true for his dear wife, who is his primary care giver, as Bud’s decline requires more from her everyday!
Do you have some people modeling hourly dependence on Jesus for you?
Have you thanked Jesus for them lately? Are you learning important life lessons from them? Do your children and grandchildren know how much you rely upon God’s sustaining strength each day to withstand your ‘thorn in the flesh’?
The ‘lessons learned’ notes will be very helpful to all of us today, as will the worship song, and tomorrow let’s meet here again for more.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:24,25; 12:7-10.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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