Wednesday Morning’s Reflection | A Thorn in the Flesh
I wrote this on Wednesday but had not finished it until this morning. It was a sweet reminder that yes, though this road is hard, this walk is challenging, it often feels lonely at times and undoable, it isn’t so when done with the Lord. We boast of the Lord because of what He has done and is doing in us. Never of us doing these things of our own, we have no power or strength to do so. It’s only by Him and though Him that we can get through this life, through the terrains, through such trials.
Wednesday Morning’s Reflection
This morning’s read was, and is, one to remember. As I pondered on it, read through it, I began to see something new in it. I often wondered why Paul would state this “thorn in the flesh” and what it truly meant. I wanted to know more and understand it.
Paul wanted this “thorn” in the flesh gone, yet, it would not be. Why would it not be removed? The thorn in his flesh was to keep Paul walking in humility, never in arrogance, pride, or haughtiness.
Some of you know of our walks in this life, and some, not so much. In these tough hard times in my walk with the Lord, I feel much like Paul, pleading to God, asking Abba Father, to remove it from me. He has yet to do so. In the morning I read of this thorn in Paul’s flesh, and somehow saw it with a new perspective in my own life. It was as if God came down and sat next to me in the early morning, with my coffee in hand, and spoke to me.
How many of us like being weak? How many of us are unashamedly weak? Honestly. Can you honestly answer this? As most American’s, we hate being weak. We hate showing our weakness. We hate even the thought of being weak. But what if you were to see this through the lens of the Father? How then can you perceive your weakness?
Paul says he pleaded with the Lord three times to have this thorn removed, yet it was not. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked the Lord the same very thing, to remove this thing from me. But then as I read, I saw. This thing, this thorn that we hate so much, actually can be a good thing. Yes, it doesn’t feel good. When does a thorn ever feel good? Have you ever been poked by one? I have, with my own rose bush. And it isn’t pretty. But, this thorn, the very thorn that just is a prick in our necks, one that seems unavoidable, one that we have pleaded and asked God to remove it from us, what if its the very good thing to keep us from boasting of ourselves or becoming haughty?
If this thorn was removed from me, would I take credit as if it were me? Would I give God the glory or me? What I boast all the more of this or will I choose to boast of my weakness because He is my strength in my weakness?
I wonder why we don’t “appreciate” the thorn in the flesh more often than we should? Probably because that thorn hurts. It lingers. It stays. It doesn’t leave. It’s annoying and unavoidable. Yet, what if instead of grumbling for that very thorn to be removed, we instead shift our gaze to Jesus and say something like this, “Abba Father, you know I hate this thorn that is in my flesh. The very thorn that pokes at me that I despise of. Yet, you have yet to remove it. I choose to see you each time that thorn pokes, and in my weakness, may I boast of you all the more because your strength carries me through in my weakness. When I am weak, then I am strong, only by You. Thank you for keeping me away from boasting of myself, becoming conceited, arrogant, prideful and haughty. Thank you for this thorn that keeps me humble and walking in humility with my Lord Jesus Christ. I may hate it, despise it, dislike it, but you oh Lord are worthy of everything I do, say, walk, and endure in. May you receive all the glory, all of me, all the honor and praise in Jesus name, amen.”
This walk I face and endure in is nothing of my own doing. If it were me, before Christ, I would’ve chosen the easier path. Walking this path is hard. And often times, every time, I find myself weak, yet, I gain this strength to endure through it. It truly is the Lord, never of me. Now that I am in Christ, though the medical walks are hard, seeing through a wife and mother’s lens filled with heartbreak and sorrow, I give God all the honor and praise knowing He carries me through it each and every time.
Knowing that I walk such a place of a wayward teen whom I dearly love, adore, cherish, and pray daily for the Lord to remind her of the relationship they once had, I hold fast to the promises of my Lord Jesus Christ.
This thorn in my flesh is nothing of a small wound, but a deep wound, a deep pierce, that I constantly find myself leaning on the Lord in. If I am honest, if I would not go through such terrains and trials, would I would lean on the Lord as much? I can’t tell you that. I would think I would. But if life were at ease, dandy, no sufferings, pain, heartache, sorrow, and let’s pretend that it was all you have ever wanted… would we honestly seek the Lord when we have everything we wanted that is going perfectly perfect and well?
Prolly not.
But I don’t know you and you don’t know me. What I do know is that in these very hard times, that I know one day we will not have to endure it again, in this moment, in this time, in the now and not yet, I choose to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. I choose because of all what He has done for me in my past. Yes this walk is painful. Yes this thorn in my flesh is inevitable. Yes this walk with Jesus is hard. But it’s beautiful. It truly is. I can see beauty made from ashes. I can see Jesus with me through the fires, terrains, rocky mountain climbs and the rough rugged path. I can see Him with me through it all knowing I am not alone. Though Paul wanted his thorn in the flesh removed, he became content in both less and more. He became one who had the strength to endure such hardships. He became…. only because of God.
When at times we find this thorn in the flesh unbearable, lean onto the one who can give you the strength to bear through it. It never was and is of our strength, it’s only of HIS, our Lord Jesus Christ.
When I am weak it is then I am made strong, never to boast of what I endure in, but to boast of the glory of God and who He is.
When I am weak, I praise the Lord for His strength He gives, able to pick up my cross and endure.
When I am weak, I am strong, because of the one who lives inside of me.
When I am weak, I am strong, and I boast of my Rock, my Fortress, my Redeemer, my Savior, the one who lives today and forevermore.
When I am weak…. I am made strong. He has given me strength to endure, persevere, and to walk through the fires knowing He is with me in the fires.
Never of my own. Never of our own. Never of us. Only of Him.
When the thorn in the flesh tries to poke at me, I boast of the Lord all the more.
When the thorn in the flesh tries to hinder my walk with the Lord, I boast of the Lord all the more, and submit to my Lord.
When the thorn in the flesh tries to poke me deeper, wanting me to sway from the Lord, I press in deeper.
When the thorn in the flesh isn’t removed, I boast of the Lord of His goodness, faithfulness and His comforting grace and mercy that wraps around me.
Never of me. Never will be of me. Always will be of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Christ alone, Him alone, am I able to endure such walks.
How can you praise the Lord today?
What thorn in your flesh bothers you?
Take it to the Lord today. Ask Him to give you the strength and power to endure through it, boasting of Him all the more.