I want to talk a little today about thorns. I recently had some out patient surgery on my back to take some moles off and the first round a few weeks back ended with them not getting everything they needed. Tests came back positive stage 1 and they needed to do a round 2. So back in I go for round 2 and more stitches. I was pretty let down about that news but yesterday I received the call that all is good now and they got what they needed to remove. Praise God for that and I can rest now knowing this is behind me. But it has me thinking about those stitches, the uncomfortable place they put us in and the pain that comes when we have to have something removed either from our bodies or in our lives.
I remembered the story of Paul and his thorn. This story comes from:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
This thorn that Paul speaks of sounds like it really hurt. He was a tough guy for sure. He asked God to remove it 3 times but God refused and told Paul that his Grace was sufficient and through His power Paul weakness would be used to bring God glory. I wonder today what that thorn was in his life. Was it an actual thorn, a rosebush thorn, a cactus thorn since region was dry and rocky. Was it a splinter of wood of somekind or maybe a nail? Maybe it was internal like his stomach or gall stones.... or kidney stones? It has me thinking of the thorn in my life. What today is breaking my heart and that God is using to keep me humble?
I would have to say the students, my close kids in my life and my family. Ya'll often times break my heart. Just when we get over one hurdle or through something difficult - we are on to the next one. Just when I get one student on track - another falls and back up on my feet I go. The thorns here keep me humbled and searching for Gods grace in all this. Through this, God is using it to change me. So often we have things in our lives that hurt, that we struggle with, tough situations and other life defining moments where we just want God to take them from us. I remember when my mom was sick - that season in my life was so hard, so long and so much full of hurt. I begged God to either heal my mom or hurry and take her. God used that season to change so much in me. My kids today - I have never felt so urgent for them. I am blessed to be serving them in the capacity that God has led me to. No matter the pain, the gain, the disappointments, the tears, the victories - God is changing me along the way. He is teaching me so much and that major thing is - is that His grace is sufficient for me.
What is that thorn in your life? Is it that prodigal child who is just making wrong choices and headed down the wrong path? Is it that friend who always seems to call only when they need something and you feel used? Is it that sickness that the doctor has you on medication for and there is no cure? Is it the job that just left because the economy has turned?
What is that thorn that God has in your life right now? I promise you God is using it to change you. Through this thorn - God is teaching you and if you will focus not on the thorn itself ... you will experience God in a new and exciting way.
Imagine letting people know you have cancer and that through Gods grace - you are ok with it. You are hungry to show Gods glory through it. Imagine the job loss and through Gods grace you now have time to spend with your grand kids or venture into a business you have always wanted to do. Imagine the friend who just drags you down and only calls when they want something has freed you from carrying the burden of always stepping up to the plate for them. Imagine that child coming to you and admitting they have been wrong and that they are sorry and they whisper so softly that they love you.
Loved ones.... Gods grace is sufficient and even though we have our own thorns in life -God is working behind the scenes. Embrace those thorns and give God the glory through them.
Grace and peace today,
Lonnie
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