Thursday, July 23, 2009
2 Corinthians 12:7 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.
A THORNY GIFT
God gave the Apostle Paul varied gifts, some of which are mentioned in the Bible. When we consider the gifts given him, some we'd like to have ourselves while others we wouldn't. With those gifts also came great temptations. Considering the great things that God accomplished through Paul, he might have been exalted in the mind of others. He might have become conceited and proud.
Paul might have become like some of the professional athletes of our day who seem to think they can get away with murder. He might have been lifted to a "god status" by others. It would have been tempting to glorify the man Paul rather than the object of his message, Jesus Christ. So God permitted Paul to be given another "gift" (from a source not usually associated with gifts from God)--to keep him balanced. Paul called it "a thorn in the flesh."
It was some kind of physical problem, a thorn in the flesh. We don't know what it was and we won't guess. However, we can say how and why it came to Paul.
It was given to Paul by God, who allowed Satan to buffet him in this way. God may allow Satan to trouble us, but His purpose in allowing it is always our good. Satan purposes our pain and suffering and ultimately the failure of our faith, but God assures us in His Word that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
This physical problem was given to Paul to keep him from becoming proud and conceited. Call it divine "tough love." God's purpose in allowing physical pain and suffering was to remind Paul that he was utterly dependent upon the Lord, his strength.
Is that a lesson we need to learn now and then?
