To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But
he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.'
We pause for a moment from following Paul's explanation of the credentials of an authentic apostle in order to savour these wonderful words. This passage has been a comfort to God's people down the centuries and, as I write, I sense that it will come with fresh relevance for some readers today.
We cannot identify for certain what the nature of Paul's 'thorn in the flesh' was. It may have been a physical illness, in line with that mentioned in Galatians 4:13-16. Alternatively, it could refer to the constant opposition to his ministry, perhaps even the work of a specific individual, such as Alexander (2 Timothy 4:14). What we do know, though, is that while Satan used it to give Paul a rough time, God used it
to keep him humble in the midst of the wonderful revelations that had been granted to him.
Paul's instinctive response to the thorn is to ask that God remove it. He persisted in prayer, too, showing that he really expected God to deliver him. Prayer to God should be our own first response to crisis also. Our belief is that God is able and willing to rescue us from any spiritual attack.
God in his wisdom chose not to relieve Paul of the thorn but, instead, pour his grace into his life in such a way that he could cope with the situation and continue to minister effectively. Grace has been defined as 'God's strength in our weakness'. Whether or not God chooses to answer our prayers for healing or deliverance, we can always count on the daily supply of his empowering and enabling grace. There is no situation outside his protective care, no need too big that his resources cannot match it. Let your weakness today be the opportunity for God's all-sufficient grace to sustain you. His power is waiting to strengthen
you.
Prayer
Lord, today I choose to lean on you and receive again your grace into
my life.
Tony Horsfall
[Originaly printed in www.New Daylight magazine]
