Thorns

Thorns. It’s that time of year again when those thorn bushes along the edge of my property start growing back. We had them bush hogged this winter so I need to make sure I keep up with them this year and not let them get out of hand again. There is nothing worse than mowing along the line of thorn bushes and getting pricked by every one of those bushes. The littlest one seem to hurt the most when they get ahold of your skin.

We have thorns in our lives too. Things that seem to feel like a hindrance to living the full Christian life possible. Things in our lives that seem to hold us back. Maybe it’s mistakes we made when we were younger that we wish we could go back and do over again differently. Maybe they are physical handicaps or shortcomings that we feel are keeping us back. Whatever they might be, they are not a hindrance to the power of God.

The Apostle Paul has his own 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.  We are never told what this “thorn” was, but there have been multiple ideas of what it might have been.

Whatever the thorn was, Paul pleaded for God to remove it: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” - 2 Corinthians 12:8. But God did not remove it and instead used it as a way to make Paul lean on the strength of God: “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.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9.

What is your thorn?  Have you prayed to God to remove it?  Has He not answered your prayer?  He may want you to depend on His strength and not your own. He may want to use that thorn as part of your testimony. Whatever it may be, thank God for it and asked Him for strength to use it to glorify Him.

Have a great day and God bless.