Thorn In The Flesh

“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.” – 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)

Do you have a trial, test or ailment that makes it difficult to carry out God’s plan for your life? Are you tempted to quit due to it? Have you prayed for God to get rid of it without success?

One of the things that deter well-meaning individuals from fulfilling God’s plan for their lives is personal imperfection. There is a great misunderstanding among the people of God, that to pursue God’s plan for your life, you must have it all together and have a trouble-free life. Your marriage must be perfect, your finances must be perfect, and your life must have no blemish. You must have faith that can move mountains, know how to pray without ceasing and be able to walk on water. Anything short of perfection will disqualify you from carrying out God’s plan for your life. As a result, many do not even try or quit along the way because their life is not together and they are unable to eliminate trouble from their lives.

There are very few characters in the Bible that God used who had it together. Abraham was a liar, David was an adulterer and a murderer, Peter was a coward, Jacob was a trickster and had a dysfunctional family (who by the way became the fathers of the nation of Israel) Solomon was a womanizer and Joseph exhibited youthful arrogance. But yet God used all of them. It is clear that none of them could have qualified to run for President of the United States (they were not perfect enough) but God found them useful in His kingdom. What are you going through right now that is tempting you to disqualify yourself or quit from the pursuit of God’s plan for your life?

I have a friend, who despite all of his attempts, has a less-than perfect marriage. He and his wife practically live separate lives, but God is still using him mightily in the marketplace and to impact His kingdom. Should he have stopped the work of God because of a less-than perfect marriage? Of course not; but neither does he stop trying to love and honor his wife despite the difficulties. God is not looking for perfect people but rather he is looking for faithful people. The enemy uses the lure of perfection to disqualify us and to tempt us to quit. No one is perfect. No not one, only Jesus.

No one did more to advance the Gospel in the New Testament than the Apostle Paul, yet he had this thing that he called “a thorn in the flesh.” No matter how much he prayed for it to go away, the Lord would not get rid of it, but rather told him that His grace was enough for him. For my friend with the less than perfect marriage, I believe his marriage is his thorn in the flesh. Despite its difficulties, it is the thing that he must continue to work on and he must not allow it to prevent him from carrying out God’s plan for his life.

A thorn in the flesh is a physical ailment, temptation or area of weakness that makes it difficult to realize God’s best in your life. It could be a less than perfect marriage, trouble with finances, a physical ailment, a temptation that you struggle with, persecution or a troubled relationship.

All these things make it difficult for us to carry out what God has called us to do but they do not make it impossible.

Why does God permit His leaders to persevere in spite of personal challenges or setbacks? Why does He not just answer their prayers to rid them of these challenges? What is the purpose of a thorn in the flesh?

1. It is continued evidence that we live in a fallen world
2. It keeps us humble
3. It keeps us on our knees
4. It keeps us looking towards heaven and not focused on this world

The Apostle Paul himself stated,

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

In other words, given all that God had revealed to him and was doing through him, his thorn in the flesh caused him not to think more of himself then he ought to think but to remain humble. This is important to us Biblical Entrepreneurs and captains of industries. We can so be used by God to meet market needs, create jobs and fund great charities and not forget that we are instruments of God’s goodness and not the source of that goodness. We must always keep in mind no matter how God is using us and how many accolades we receive, that it is not about us, it is all about Jesus. We are mere instruments.

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:3 (NKJV)

Of course, this does not mean we should be complacent nor does it mean we should indulge in our weakness and temptations and excuse them as “a thorn in the flesh.” This would be a deliberate act of disobedience and is a sin. Instead, this should inspire us to persevere in what God has called us to do despite our personal challenges, recognizing that God has called us to be faithful, not perfect. Perfection for the Christian is a journey, not a destination.

My prayer for you today is that God will give you the grace to persevere despite the “thorn in your flesh,” looking unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of your faith. (Romans 12:2a)