2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 10; “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation, there was given to ma a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 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. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distress for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Much debate has surrounded Paul’s thorn in the flesh. The point is not the specific thorn but that it existed at all. The flesh is still corrupt and corrupting, even in an apostle who was given divine revelation and visions. But God is greater than Satan and greater than the flesh. Though human brokenness, as God’s servants are made humble, the power of Christ shines through their lives and ministries.
I though the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. However, that is not the reality portrayed in Scripture. Paul was a man whom the Lord used greatly, and yet his life was anything but easy.
In fact, at one point, the apostle though his pain was too much to bear, and he begged God to remove it. There’s nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our suffering, but what should our response be if He doesn’t? Paul probably had no idea that His experience would find its way into the Bible to comfort and guide believers throughout the ages. The promise God gave him applies to us as well: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” (v. 9).
God’s grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our need. The problem is that sometimes it doesn’t seem as if the Lord truly is meeting our need. But He frequently sees deficiencies, outcomes, a n d complications that we don’t. his goals for us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christ like character, and strong faith. And trials play a vital role in achieving these.
The important issue is how we respond. If all you want is relief, you could descend into anger and doubt. But if your desire is to become the person God wants you to be, you’ll see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His character and strength in you.