Amy McDonaugh, a 34-year-old mother of three who is completely blind in her right eye and has severely impaired vision in her left eye, fought off 1,775 competitors to win the Flying Pig Marathon—a popular and enjoyable race. Participating in only her fourth contest, McDonaugh not only beat her fellow runners, but she also showed that her physical challenge would not stop her from doing something remarkable.
Almost 2 millennia prior to Amy rising above her “thorn in the flesh” and crossing the finish line in first place, the apostle Paul offered a powerful perspective about his own thorn. When Paul’s opponents (false apostles) boasted of their knowledge and visions to prove their superior apostleship, Paul felt a need to challenge them with his own revelations—ones which surpassed any that the false apostles had recounted (2 Corinthians 12:1-6). To prevent Paul from becoming too proud about these revelations, God had sent him a thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7).
What was this thorn? Some suggest that it was an eye disease or a speech impediment, false apostles or opponents in the church, or troubling demonic activity. Paul asked God three times to remove it, but He refused. This denial turned out to be for Paul’s greater good and God’s greater glory. Paul gained this perspective from his weakness: God delights in displaying His power where human strength is weak. And as Paul took delight in his thorn, blessings from God came his way (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
What about you? Has the presence of thorns (weaknesses) and God’s refusal to remove them discouraged you? Be encouraged! We can find comfort and security in the truth that God’s grace is enough to sustain and strengthen us in our weaknesses. Because His grace is enough, we can rejoice in our thorns, stand strong in His power, and experience His glory in our lives.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Joshua 4:1-24
More:
Read 1 Corinthians 4:8-17 to see how believers in Jesus should respond to afflictions and weaknesses.
Next:
What’s your typical response to personal thorns? How can you stand in God’s power and grace and delight in your thorns this week?
iamahumbleservant on March 1, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Thank you for this devotion.
I am often humbled by the Lord because of my past arrogance and often take His Blessings for granted.
and as i grew older, i have really learnt to humble down and often ask for His Will rather than my ways.
i am still learning to be joyful and have total trust in Him when things seem to be unanswered or not working in the way i imagined it to be.
because His grace is really enough for me, and His Strength works best in all my weaknesses.
God Bless you all.
marvin williams on March 1, 2012 at 1:14 pm
I know this all too well. God continues to reveal to me my own arrogance and pride. It is not pretty, but he is shaping me to be a more effective disciple. I don’t like my thorns, but I am learning to rejoice in my thorns because I know God is going to use them for my good and his glory.
jstabel on March 1, 2012 at 1:59 pm
They are called “thorns” because they are not pleasant and many a times i have cried to God to help me with mine but everytime i recall Paul’s statement i just let His will be done but the first step is really knowing our “thorns’,if its God generated or self inflicted.
winn collier on March 5, 2012 at 11:50 am
I find that my deepest struggles keep me attuned to brokenness in a way I would otherwise avoid. It’s a strange mercy.