I would venture to say that the majority of us are rarely thankful for the hardships we face in life. Whether it be personal weakness or illness, relational troubles, financial issues, or any number of negative things, we generally want them to go away. We want a “good” life.
This is human nature, but perhaps an easy life is not what is actually best for us.
In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul continues his response to the “super-apostles” that were infiltrating the Corinthian church and trying to undermine his authority.
After outlining many displays of personal weakness (2 Cor. 11:23-29) the apostle transitions to recounting a grand heavenly experience from 14 years prior (2 Cor. 12:1-6). Yet, to keep him from becoming conceited because of the privilege of the wonderful things he saw, another trial comes. This one is famously known as Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.”
Now, an exact understanding of what Paul’s thorn was is highly elusive.
The Lexham Research Commentary outlines a number of approaches that have been taken historically by different interpreters but concludes, “it is best to keep in mind that no view can be established with certainty.”[1]
We do not know if Paul was dealing with some form of illness or physical ailment, although this is a common view. We do not know if he was dealing with some form of temptation or how literal the “messenger of Satan” language should be pressed.
What is clear is that Paul was not a big fan of his thorn, whatever it was. As such, he pleaded with the Lord to take it away three different times.
To this, the Lord responded, “No.”
More specifically, He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9a). Which in simpler terms means “no.”
The Lord refused to take away Paul’s thorn because ultimately it was good for Paul. Now, what is interesting to see is that this was a “messenger of Satan” sent to afflict him, probably intending to limit his ministry! Yet, the Lord Jesus concluded that it could be used for good.
Paul would then recognize that the thorn not only kept him from becoming conceited, but it made him even more dependent on the power of Christ within him.
As such, he concluded,
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9b-10).
Paul’s experience here makes me wonder how we respond to hardships in our own lives.
All of us have things that we would change if we could, but we can’t. We have circumstances we have pleaded with the Lord about that remain the same.
Perhaps, just maybe, God wants us to live with the thorn for it makes us dependent upon Him.
If life gets too easy, we can quickly forget God. He becomes a peripheral aspect of our lives. But hardships drive us to dependence on Him, or at least they ought to.
They should remind us of our utter need for Him. His grace is sufficient, and it is available, but do we seek it? Or do we keep trying to push through in our own strength?
Do we respond with complaint, self-loathing, or self-pity; or do we respond with grace-seeking prayer?
Let your thorn serve its real purpose: go to Him. Seek Him. Find in Him the help your soul needs. He knows suffering even better than you do and His power will be made perfect in your weakness.
[1] Derek R. Brown, E. Tod Twist, and Wendy Widder, 2 Corinthians, ed. Douglas Mangum and John D. Barry, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013), 2 Co 12:7.