Paul’s Thorn, 2 Corinthians 12:7-8

This post concerns Paul’s thorn in the flesh.

Paul’s Thorn discusses a physical malady given to keep him from boasting, “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.”

The Apostle prayed for the removal of the thorn, 2 Corinthians 12:8. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace…sufficient for you, for my power…made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

However, we do not know what made up this physical ailment. Think of physical thorns that hinder us—poor sight or semi-blindness, extremely bad hearing or deafness, or a crippling walk. Other thorns in our lives may spring to mind—calamities that we have prayed to be removed and received a “no” answer.

This passage may explain an important fact of life for us.

Even though the Apostle asked three times in prayer for God to remove this fleshly irritation and inconvenience, he experienced “no” three times as the answer. But, God had a purpose for the thorn—the removal of conceit. God said that the grace He provided comprised a sufficient condition for Paul. In other words, the grace of God—an eternal home in heaven—should suffice all Christians desire if physical ailments remain as unanswered requests to God.

So, what did we learn?

1.God said “no” to requests by Paul to remove a physical thorn in the flesh.

2.God can answer “no” to our requests for relief from physical hardships.

3.God says that His grace—an eternal home in heaven—becomes sufficient for Christians.

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