We do not know how much of Paul's rich, beautiful life, and his noble work for
his Master, he owed to his thorn. Just so, we do not know how much we
are indebted to our sufferings and sorrows. Our richest lessons are the fruit of pain, of weakness, of sorrow.
There is not one of us who has not his own thorn. With one it may be a bodily infirmity or weakness. With another it is some disfigurement which cannot be removed. It may be some difficulty in circumstances, something which makes it hard to live beautifully.
The Master told Paul that his thorn was necessary to him, to save him from becoming proud. We may think of our thorn, too, as something we need. Instead of allowing it to irritate us or to spoil our life, its mission is to make us sweet, patient, loving. Many people beseech the Lord to take away their thorn. Yet it may be, that the prayer is not answered, will not be answered, should not be answered. It may be, that the thorn is necessary to keep them humble at God's feet.
God sends some of our best blessings to us in our thorns, and it will be a sad thing if we thrust them away and miss them.
There is not one of us who has not his own thorn. With one it may be a bodily infirmity or weakness. With another it is some disfigurement which cannot be removed. It may be some difficulty in circumstances, something which makes it hard to live beautifully.
The Master told Paul that his thorn was necessary to him, to save him from becoming proud. We may think of our thorn, too, as something we need. Instead of allowing it to irritate us or to spoil our life, its mission is to make us sweet, patient, loving. Many people beseech the Lord to take away their thorn. Yet it may be, that the prayer is not answered, will not be answered, should not be answered. It may be, that the thorn is necessary to keep them humble at God's feet.
God sends some of our best blessings to us in our thorns, and it will be a sad thing if we thrust them away and miss them.
[J. R. Miller]
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2 Corinthians 12:7 ... And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2 Corinthians 4:17 ... For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Colossians 1:24 ... Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:❤
