2 Corinthians 12, what is your thorn?

God is here to help.

The photo above illustrates God’s omnipresent ways.  Those three lines are precisely God’s thoughts of us, letting us know that we are His, we are loved by Him, and that He is always here.  Often times when we cross trouble in life, we look afar from our Father as we think He would be too ashamed to assist us out of the wicked ways we are partaken in.  However, that could not be further from the truth, as our Father wants to help us and guide us in every imaginable situation.  So whatever it is that you are dealing with, be assured that even the greats in the Bible dealt with the very same things.  Paul writes a fantastic passage to let you know that you’re not alone in your issues, and that they are with you for a reason!



Paul, who wrote a lot of the New Testament, explicitly explains in 2 Corinthians about a thorn in His side:

• 2 Corinthians 12:7 – And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure (NKJV)

Earlier in 2 Corinthians, to give you some sort of context, Paul is writing about he cannot boast about himself, but chooses to boast about others.  The reason he must not boast up himself is so that people do not see him for something greater than what he really is (so they will not put him on a pedestal).  Next, Paul writes God will exalt him from above with the many revelations.  The thorn (issue) in his (our) flesh were given to him (us) so that he (we) keep(s) himself (ourselves) from being conceited. Paul later begs God three times to take the thorn away, but God has an interesting response and does not take it away.  God tells Paul that His grace is sufficient and His power is made in Paul’s weakness.  So our thorn is our way of being reliant upon God, so Paul next tells us that he will boast all the more in his weakness, so that Christ’s power may always rest in him!

Although our troubles and weaknesses seem insurmountable at times and almost impossible to handle or contain…the truth is that our Father put them there for a reason, a reason that we do not understand.  But assured, as God put it there, He blessed us with a thorn so His power could be manifested in our acknowledgment of our own very weaknesses.  We must boast and be honest in our weakness, so Christ can work within us, and give us the manifested power to do great things for God!
2 Corinthians 12:10 – Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (KJV)


Look at those words and how Paul handles the issues God gave him…not as an issue, but rather as a blessing. The amazingly different perspective that made all of the difference.  A mere simple viewpoint and understand that God’s grace is sufficient. Wow. So I beg you to read through this passage (2 Cor. 12) and Paul does a masterful job at leaving the passage open to interpretation, meaning it’s almost like he was saying, while reading this (insert your issue________) and take it for that.  So that we may not boast in our greatness, but we may boast in the grace of God for assisting in our own issues!


So just remember when your thorn is itching, obnoxiously bothering you, or whatever it may do…God is here to help.  While these issues are bothering us, we must remember to boast in our issues as for then we are boasting in the grace of God and not that of ourselves.  His grace is sufficient, enough said!  God bless!


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