From Thorns to Thankfulness
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
A seaman meets a pirate in a bar, and take turns boasting of their adventures on the high seas. The seaman notes that the pirate has a peg-leg, hook, and an eyepatch. The seaman asks "So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?" The pirate replies "We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out a shark bit my leg off." "Wow!" said the seaman. "What about your hook"? "Well...", replied the pirate, "While my men and I were plundering in the Middle East, I was caught stealing from a merchant and the punishment for theft in the Middle East is the loss of the hand that steals" "Incredible!" remarked the seaman. "How did you get the eyepatch?" "A sea gull dropping fell into my eye.", replied the pirate. "You lost your eye to a sea gull dropping?" the sailor asked incredulously. "Well...", said the pirate, "...it was my first day with the hook."
Why is it so easy to boast and talk about your accomplishments, and so difficult to boast on your weaknesses, struggles and failures. We live in a culture where exposing our weaknesses is a form of failure. Our society thrives on boasting about our strengths and numerous accomplishments. Reality shows like The Apprentice, American Idol, Fear Factor, even Survivor talk always base their accomplishments on strengths and never talk about weakness. Even on talk shows when stars come to reveal their inner demons and struggles, they don’t focus so much on their weaknesses as they do their strength in overcoming them. If you show weakness, people think your less of a person. It’s not popular to be viewed as weak in America or to boast on your weaknesses.
The Apostle Paul knew differently. He struggled between boasting on his weaknesses and bragging about his strength. Paul had alot to boast about: the numerous churches he started the pastors he raised up and mentored, the people he converted, even the great revelations and visions that God had given him. He had had great success and it was only natural for Paul to talk about his accomplishments rather than his personal imperfections. However, Paul chose not to boast about his accomplishments and strengths, but instead his shortcomings and weaknesses.
One of the themes throughout Scripture is that anybody who has made a radical impact for God did so because God used their weaknesses and personal imperfections for His greater purposes. Throughout this series we have seen several people who God used weaknesses and all to accomplish His purpose. Abraham and Sarah who were barren but became the parents of a great nation. Jacob, a cheater and deceiver, conned his brother Esau of his inheritance, deceived his dad to get his father’s blessing and then his father-in-law to get the majority of his wealth. Jonah’s fear and disobedience to God’s call. And Moses’ had anger problems.
Paul could have easily boasted on how he had it all together and everything he had accomplished, but as soon as he wanted to boast, God gave him a thorn to remind him that it is wasn’t about him. What is a thorn? Thorns are any form of physical issues, hurts, hardships or hang-ups that God uses to remind us of our inadequacies and our weaknesses. Thorns can cause severe pain and constantly irritate us. Nobody fully knows what Paul’s thorn was. Many theologians question whether it was spiritual, physical or emotional. We just don’t know but what we do know is this: Paul’s thorn constantly nagged him and gave him much pain.
What Paul learns is that God allows thorns to enter our lives for a purpose. Thorns are ultimately used to transform us into the character of Christ. Like roses, all of us have thorns. They come in various forms: the deaths of loved ones, failed relationships and marriages, the loss of a job, failures, emotional struggles and even financial disasters. All of us have thorns, but many of us either have ignored them or haven’t detected that painful place in our lives. What’s your thorn today? The most painful area of our lives is what God wants us to deal with the most.
First, thorns change our perspective. “Therefore in order to keep me from becoming boastful or big-headed, I was given a thorn. I was given pain in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to constantly torment me.” God allows thorns to afflict us to give us the proper perspective about our lives. Paul realized that the thorn that God had given him was to remove any form of pride. It kept Paul humble. Paul’s thorn reminded him that it wasn’t about him. God knew that pride and boasting was one area in Paul’s life he constantly struggled with and so he allowed Paul to be afflicted with this thorn because he wanted him to remain humble amidst all the great things He had accomplished.
I love in I Peter 5:5 where it says, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud, but he shows favor to the humble and the oppressed.’ So many times, pride becomes a way of covering up our inadequacies, our weaknesses and our imperfections. Men, we do this well. We tend to boast on all of our successes, our accomplishments, our material possessions, and the greatest gadgets and toys we receive, but pride is usually a way to hide that deep void which hides within our soul. Every day there must be a conscious effort in our lives to surrender any and everything that we take credit for. We must recognize that it’s not about us and it was God who afforded me the opportunity to get that degree, purchase that house, get that promotion or receive that raise. It’s so easy to boast on everything we achieve, but it is not until we humble ourselves in the presence of God that God begins to lift us up in due season. God used this thorn to change Paul’s perspective. It is not until we allow God to change our lives, to give us a new perspective, that God can use us for a greater purpose. Thorns remind us daily that it is not about our ability, but it’s about our willingness to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. God wants to do new things in our lives, but it is only when we humble ourselves that God can do great things.
Second, thorns challenge us to be God dependent. In verses 8 and 9, Paul says he prayed three times, “Lord, take the thorn away from me, take this pain away from me,” but the very thing that he wanted God to take away was the very thing he needed to stay connected to God. Sometimes the very thing we want removed out of our lives is the very thing we need in our relationship with God. Thorns move us to become totally dependent upon God’s grace. Very seldom does God take away our thorns, but God gives us grace to deal with them. God uses our thorns to make us God dependent, ultimately to fulfill and pursue our place of promise.
Have you ever prayed repeatedly for God to remove something painful in your life and the answer was no? Instead of taking away the thorn, God reminds us that his grace is more than enough. God’s grace is all sufficient. “My grace will meet every point of your need.” First of all, grace will meet physical weariness. In Philippians 4:6, “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” Second, grace helps with emotional pain. Romans 8:1says, “There is therefore no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” All the guilt you’ve been carrying can be removed. You are forgiven. And not only do we have emotional pain removed, but grace helps us in spiritual attacks. Isaiah 54:17, grace reminds us that in spite of all the hell we are going through that “No weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper.” Grace is enough for anything and everything that you encounter on a daily basis. Grace never runs out. Grace never grows weary. Grace is all-sufficient for our lives.
Third, thorns are a platform to fulfill our God purpose. Mike Bowie tells of when he was a little boy, he would pray to God every night to remove the embarrassment and the pain of not having a dad at home. It was only later in life when he realized the very thorn that he asked God to take out of his life was the same thorn that God had used to help fulfill his life’s purpose. God used his heartbreak of not having a father, to move him to connect others to Jesus, the one true father. Even though it was painful, he realized that God would never remove this thorn of his father issue. But the good news is, today, this thorn is a constant reminder of his daily dependence upon God. God used what seemed to be a weakness and pain and converted it to an awesome strength and catalyst in his own life and ministry. Through that thorn in his life, God has made him more compassionate with people who struggle with the same issue. Through this thorn, God has made him more sensitive not to overlook folks, but to make sure that when they deal with the same struggle, he can encourage them that there is still hope. God will use this thorn, and he will transform it into a great strength.
Fourth, thorns allow God to convert our weaknesses into a major source of strength. Verse 10. Once Paul realized it wasn’t about him, once he realized he had to die to self, once he became God dependent, then he realized that God would convert his weakness into a major source of strength. God doesn’t see our weaknesses as deficiencies, but instead sees our weaknesses as tremendous opportunities. That sounds kind of crazy, doesn’t it? It’s through our weaknesses that God can work and show his power, his greatness and his strength, that if I can overcome that weakness, then I can overcome anything and others will be drawn to God.
There was a ten-year-old boy who decided to study judo, despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after 3 months of training, the master had taught him only one move. “Master,” the boy finally said, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “I realize that this is the only move you know, but this may be the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the master replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the master took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged. The boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy made the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the master intervened. “No,” the master insisted. “Let him continue.” As soon as the match resumed, his opponent rushed in on him. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him and won the match and tournament. On the way home, the boy summoned the courage to ask, “Master, how could I possibly have won that tournament with only one move?” The master turned to the boy and answered, “You won for two reasons. First, you have been able to master the most difficult throw in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move that you have mastered is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” Your weakness in the hands of Jesus becomes the best material for a miracle. That is why Paul says, “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.” It’s in our weakness that we become more dependent on God and that opens the door for God’s strength and power to work through us. But here’s the key: God can’t use our thorns until we are willing to surrender our weaknesses. But in exchange, God will give us strength.
God wants to do a great exchange in your life today: your weakness for his strength. What’s your thorn today? What is it that you have been wrestling with and have hidden? I want to challenge you to give your weaknesses to God so He can use them for strengths.” Today, I want you to know that there is power at the cross. God wants us to bring our stuff to the foot of the cross, and when we come, we’re saying, “God I can’t, but you can.” Today, I believe that God wants to do great things in your life, but it is not until we begin to thank God for our weaknesses and give them over to Him that we can experience God’s power.
