Thorn in the flesh

https://odb.org/2025/05/15/such-glorious-knowledge

2 Corinthians 12:1–10 (NIV): 12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body, I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Although the Apostle Paul was given visions and revelations of the Lord and saw and heard inexpressible things, he remained humble because the Lord also gave him a thorn in the flesh, to prevent him from getting conceited (extremely proud). As humans, we may become proud or even conceited when we feel we are special and as believers, especially when we feel God treated us so special and gave us out of the ordinary gifts or talents. When the glory of God shines on us, we bask in the glory. Even powerful and famous speakers may suffer from this ailment. In the case of Paul, the Lord gave him a thorn in the flesh, a weakness to keep him humbled and for him to place his reliance on Christ as His grace is sufficient for Paul.

There are things in our lives that make us weak or vulnerable or limit our capabilities in the natural. For example, some people find it tough to sleep in a strange bed or without air conditioning and thus may not be able to travel to the interiors of the country to minister or do missions. Or despite our eloquence and powerful messages, we may walk with a limp, or we may not be as tall or beautiful as we wished. Maybe we have a darker complexion or suffer from psoriasis (autoimmune condition leading to skin issues) or scoliosis (spinal condition) or anxiety attacks or mental health issues. Or we are glad to preach at the pulpit because the revelations God gives us as we prepare but do not have the gift of the gab. Very few are perfect and good at everything as usually if we are a jack of all trades, we are masters of none.

Celebrate God’s goodness in our lives. As we dwell deeper into His Word, we will gain better insights into Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the knowledge we will gain may be like Paul’s – indescribable. There may be things that God reveals that we may not even be permitted to say. Yet like Paul also, we may have a thorn in the flesh that refuses to go away despite the thousand times we have prayed or been prayed for. Take it that the thorn is there for us not to be conceited. That we remain down to earth and not puffed up into the clouds!