Introduction

Welcome, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, to this sacred gathering where we unite in spirit and truth to feed on the Word of God. We are here today to draw from the unending well of divine wisdom, to find solace, strength, and inspiration in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our focus today is drawn from 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. It is a passage that speaks to the heart of every believer who has ever faced a thorn in the flesh, a challenge, a trial, a difficulty that seems insurmountable.

This passage holds a potent message for us all. It invites us to see our trials, our thorns, not as stumbling blocks, but as stepping stones. It encourages us to embrace our weaknesses, for it is in our weakness that we are made strong through Christ’s power.

Accepting Thorns as Divine Dispatches

In the passage we read, Paul talks about a thorn in his flesh. Now, he doesn't specify what this thorn is. It could have been a physical ailment, a personal struggle, a recurring temptation, or a difficult circumstance. Whatever it was, it was a source of great discomfort for him. It was something he wanted to be rid of. He pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away. But God's response was not what he expected. Instead of removing the thorn, God said to him, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'

The first aspect we need to understand about this is that our thorns are allowed by God for a purpose. They are not accidents. They are not mistakes. God, in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty, allows them in our lives for a reason. And that reason is always for our good and His glory.

Secondly, our thorns are opportunities for us to experience God's grace. When Paul pleaded with God to remove his thorn, God didn't say, 'Okay, I'll take it away.' Instead, He said, 'My grace is sufficient for you.' In other words, God was saying, 'Paul, you don't need relief from your thorn. What you need is My grace. And My grace is more than enough for you.'

The third aspect is that our thorns are means by which God's power is made perfect in us. God said to Paul, 'My power is made perfect in weakness.' This is a counter-intuitive truth. We usually think of power as being made perfect in strength, in ability, in competence. But God's power is made perfect in our weakness, in our inability, in our incompetence.

The fourth aspect is that our thorns are reminders for us to boast in our weaknesses. Paul said, 'Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.' This is another counter-intuitive truth. We usually boast about our strengths, our achievements, our successes. But Paul says we should boast about our weaknesses. Why? Because our weaknesses are not obstacles to God's power. They are conduits of God's power.

Anchoring Spirituality Amidst Thorns

As we continue to draw from the well of wisdom in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, we find ourselves in a place of deep spiritual reflection ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO