Paul's "thorn in the flesh."
God gave it to Paul to keep him
Humble.
The apostle asked God to remove the
Affliction, but He answered, "No."
Harsh?
"Pride separates us from God.
And a thorn is better than pride." *
Do we all have one, or two, or
Three or four?
I'm glad Paul didn't disclose his
Thorn so that we can't compare.
Widowhood is an obvious one for me,
More like a sharpened stake at times.
But I recognize another that has
Plagued me for years.
When depression struck me I was
A Bible study teacher.
I needed to take a sabbatical, and
I was humbled, brought low, and
Barely able to function.
I'm recovered now, but I'm vulnerable.
I've had setbacks over the years and I
Never know when a new attack will come.
An antidepressant helps to keep me
Stable, but I realize I'm emotionally fragile.
And yet, just as God sustained Paul, His
Grace has been sufficient for me too.
He has been strong when I've been
Weak.
Christ's power rests on me,
Covers me.
And I agree with our teacher's conclusion:
"If we have a thorn, God has something special
For us." *
*Kelly Minter
(The passage is II Corinthians 12:7-10)