2 Corinthians 12:9
“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.”
Paul talks about a “thorn in the flesh” that was given to him by God. Three times he asked God to remove the thorn, but God’s answer is seen in the verse above when He says, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” As much as Paul wanted this thorn removed, this thorn was his story of grace. His thorn showed God’s power in his life. If the thorn were removed, the story of grace could not be seen. Paul’s dialogue with God shows us several reasons that God gives us a “thorn in the flesh.”
First, your thorn keeps you humble. Paul said in verse 7, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh…” Whatever thorn God has given you, He did not do it to hurt you, but to keep you humble. Please realize that if this thorn keeps you humble, it will keep you from God’s judgment. God always judges pride, so He gives you a thorn to keep you humble so that you never come to the point where He has to judge you.
Second, your thorn is God’s story of grace in your life. God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient…” The same grace that offers salvation is the same grace that God gives to help you with your thorn. When your thorn keeps you humble and doesn’t make you bitter, God’s story of grace can be clearly read by others. If you try to change your thorn, you are pushing God’s story of grace away.
Third, God’s story of grace is what gives you His power in your life. The end of the verse above shows us God’s purpose for this thorn is, “…that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” I recently crossed the paths of a preacher friend who I had not seen in years. He was in attendance at a place where I preached. After the service, he came to me and asked about a family member and how they were doing. When I relayed the story to him, he made the statement to me, “This explains God’s power on your life.” He was saying exactly what the verse above says. The thorn in our flesh is there so that God’s power can work through us. God’s story of grace makes what you say more powerful. Without the story of grace, your message won’t be as powerful. God needs you to be humbled with your thorn so that He can work through you.
You can become bitter with your thorn in the flesh, or you can let it be your story of grace and see God’s power working through you. This is why Paul could say in verse 10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities…for when I am weak, then am I strong.” He understood that the story of grace showed his weakness and God’s strength. Instead of trying to hide your story of grace, use it to help those whom God has sent along your pathway of life who struggle with the same problem. You can hide the story of grace, try to change it, or you can take it and use it to help others.
Friend, anyone God uses will have a “thorn in the flesh” that will be their story of grace. If you hide it, God will give you another thorn until you allow it to be the story of grace to use to help others. God’s power will always be revealed in your story of grace. Don’t quench God’s power in your life by attempting to change your story of grace.