A THORNY MATTER

A THORNY MATTER
Friday, February 15, 2019 by Leona Choy

One of my more-than-several medical persons remarked after our discussion about managing one of my more-than-several physical and unfixable infirmities, “Well, that's your cross to bear.”

Was that biblical? I began to research the matter in Scripture. In brief, without any private interpretation, I examined “just the facts, ma'am” from the text and context. There is a difference between our CROSS and our THORN. I think my particular chronic physical condition was "a thorn in the flesh." It was not my “cross." The Scriptures clearly differentiate.

Each has a God-aspect. Some people use the term “bearing one's cross” for any misfortune or trouble. They take it to mean suck it up and put up with something patiently. Incorrect. A cross is what a follower of Christ is to “take up daily” as a disciple. (Mark 8:34) That cross is a consequence of our witness for Him. Okay, trouble and suffering for the body may come along as a result, but a cross is not something we should plead for God to take away.

On the contrary, carrying a cross is an action that brings joy and the privilege of being united to Christ in His suffering as we suffer with Him. (Matthew 16:24, 25) Carrying a cross is a badge of discipleship. It requires denying oneself even to the loss of life for His sake while confessing Jesus before men. (Matthew 10:33, 38) Jesus declared that if we don't take up our cross we are not worthy of Him.

A cross is not optional for a follower of Christ. Jesus declared that if we don't carry our own cross, we can't be His disciple. (Luke 14:27) We can conclude that a cross is not a physical infirmity or some disorder of the body.

So what is a thorn in the flesh? In Scripture it is something that is given not something we should take up. It's described in detail in 2 Corinthians chapter twelve. In the apostle Paul's case, he tells us exactly why a thorn in the flesh was given him, who gave it, what Paul prayed for, how God answered, and his response.

I researched the topic in every translation I could find and from every angle to squeeze the meaning from every word. I didn't want to get this wrong. I compiled the results with the variations in the words without any deviation from the text.

Who gave Paul the thorn in the flesh? He called it “a messenger of Satan” in the beginning. Doubtless Satan wanted to cause the apostle to doubt the dealings of God. He took advantage of what God was permitting for a special purpose. Paul finally recognized that the thorn had come from God.

Why did God give him the thorn? He had favored Paul with incredible private spiritual experiences, “surpassing great revelations” beyond which other men ever had. He had grounds for boasting. In the natural, he could have felt proud. In the first six verses of this chapter he alluded to his marvelous experience while caught up into the third heaven. However, God forbade Paul to “glory in” such things or even to talk about them.

We know Paul was speaking about himself not someone else when referring to that experience because he changed to the “me” pronoun. He obviously waited fourteen years even to mention it. God wanted to make sure that he wouldn't boast so He went to great lengths not to humiliate Paul but to keep him humble. Paul obviously recognized that it was “to keep me from becoming conceited or exalting myself” or letting other people exalt him because of what he had experienced.

Obviously it was some serious physical infirmity, possibly visible, about which he anguished and wanted to be rid of. He was no sissy. Note the list in chapter eleven of all the incredible hardships Paul went through for the sake of the gospel. (Those were real crosses! The thorn couldn't have been a cross because this chiefest of the apostles wouldn't have pleaded to have it taken away.)

He wanted healing from something “in his flesh” that was tormenting him and buffeting him. Other translations say blow after blow, a prick of my flesh, like a continuous slap of his face, beating him, harassing him, using one's fist, pounding away at me, a handicap, a weakness, a splinter, a stake in my flesh, some physical malady that persisted, that was chronic.

Paul wanted to be healed. He prayed to have the thorn removed from him completely, “depart from him.”

What was the nature of Paul's thorn? Bible scholars differ and speculate, but agree that it must have been something physical that had to do with his body. It was definitely a major, painful and prolonged "ouch!"

Was it something that had to do with his eyes, something residual from his three days of blindness at his conversion? Did that cause him to write in one of his letters that he was signing that particular one “with my own hand”? As if that was not his usual manner? We are guessing that might be the problem because he wrote, “But you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself” (Galatians 4:13,14). He adds, “...that if possible you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.” Was it cataracts, glaucoma or Macular degeneration? Whatever it was, it was also a trial to the people to whom he ministered in the churches.

Or were his hands and body shaking as in a Parkinson's tremor so that he, a highly educated and literate man, could not write his own letters but had to depend upon others? It was something bad enough to cause him suffering when he ministered in the churches. On another occasion it was noted that his speech was contemptible. We simply aren't told.

Paul did pray, that was commendable. God didn't fault him for asking for healing. Jesus Himself prayed three times with sweat like great drops of blood in the Garden prior to His trial asking if this cup could pass from Him, that He could be spared the cross that was ahead of Him. He also “pleaded with God” and received a negative answer. Jesus' response was to surrender that God's will be done. Paul too persisted pleading “three times,” not just quick prayers, possibly over a period of time. The first two times God might have been silent until after the third entreaty.

Then God spoke: [Paraphrased] “The answer is no, Paul. I'm not taking your bodily illness or condition away. I am permitting it for a purpose. My grace is enough for you to bear it. When you are weak, then I can show Myself most effective to work through you. Your sense of your own weakness fits you to receive My divine strength.”

Paul, we've been a fly on the wall while you've been learning this painful lesson that has so much to do with our own personal thorns in the flesh. We each have unique thorns. And God doesn't fault us for asking to be healed. Thank you for sharing this teaching moment with us, Paul. If we may ask, when did you really “get it?” You didn't tell us whether it was still a struggle to adjust to a “no” answer from God who so highly favored you with those supernatural revelations, or whether your turn-around acceptance was instantaneous.

Your thorn kept hurting, didn't it? Everything was still worst case scenario. There was no relief or light at the end of the tunnel. You would have to live with the thorn until God took you Home. Whenever it was that you understood, your spiritual eyes finally “saw” what God was after.

That's when you declared to all of us who “have ears to hear”: “Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in, boast, delight, take pleasure in my weaknesses and infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak in my human strength, then am I truly strong—able, powerful in Your divine strength.” [Amplified Version]

You didn't tell us specifically what your thorn was, Paul. Was that deliberate? Now we can just fill in the blank with our own thorn. You had a human body just like ours that can hurt in innumerable ways. Things that can get out of order inside our bodies or in our outward appearance, especially as we age—as you did too. This allows us to identify with you—our own thorn can be anything that is common to humankind or unique to ourselves.

The purpose for the thorn, however, is probably the same as Paul's—that we might remain humble and not think too highly of ourselves or boast of our spiritual experiences. We can be sure that God will answer us in the same way.

The Message translation of verse 7 of 2 Corinthians 12 puts a down-to-earth spin on what we are meant to learn:

“Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!”

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Comments

Marlene J Bagnull From PA At 3/18/2019 8:44:58 PM

Excellent and insightful article. Father has given you the gift of words and hard-won wisdom.

Lindsay Van Sicklen From Arkadelphia Arkansas At 2/17/2019 2:32:12 PM

Thanks so much for this post. Cellulitis has restricted my life for several weeks now. Getting better in tiny increments. Struggling with a Godly attitude in the midst of this trial.

Reply by: Leona Choy

Atta girl! Tiny increments count. Keep on keeping on and counting it as a temporary "light" affliction meant for your transformation into the image of Christ.

James Henry From Midland Park At 2/16/2019 8:06:55 PM

Dear Leona, Saw your post and read it all the way through. It surely is thorny. I was glad you drew the distinction - cross and thorn. I've got a thorn I've prayed many times for God to resolve, in fact, just did so again with a dear brother in the Lord this morning. These days I seek more grac

Reply by: Leona Choy

Your comment was truncated. I'd like to hear more about your experience with thorns. Email me.

Heiko Elsinga From The Netherlands At 2/16/2019 5:55:00 PM

Again your writing has been used by God at this time when I received my severe thorn to bless me and to draw me closer to Him. Thank you Lord for causing Leona to write just what I needed!

Reply by: Leona Choy

Space and time are irrelevant when we pray for one another in the Spirit. The Spirit knows our need and distance is no barrier to speaking a word of encouragement at a kairos moment.

Heiko Elsinga From The Netherlands At 2/16/2019 5:41:44 PM

Dearest Leona, Your writing surely again spoke to my heart, just now after I have received a thorn in my flesh. I have known you a long time and I have read many of your writings, however it has been now since I received the bad news that your last writings have so much been used by God to make th

Reply by: Leona Choy

Heiko, hope you could finish your comment which was truncated due to running out of space...

russ r From Allentown At 2/16/2019 12:32:21 PM

Beautiful reflection!

Reply by: Leona Choy

Often such thorns come in painful clusters like on a fragrant rose bush--but don't stop smelling the roses. ALWAYS His grace is sufficient. "Most gladly, therefore..." let's follow the apostle Paul's powerful example.

Genevieve From Winchester At 2/16/2019 11:29:59 AM

You have a way of always clearing up the"fog" for me, So happy to have you as a friend!

Reply by: Leona Choy

I too thank God for our friendship.Let us keep encouraging one another through the hard times and through our joys. I pray that you will walk in the sunshine of God's love and experience His healing power for your lonely heart.God is always close to you day and night. He never leaves you or forsakes you, dear friend.

Kay From Winchester At 2/16/2019 8:07:03 AM

Thank you for showing the way.

Reply by: Leona Choy

God has a unique blessed way for each of us planned before the foundation of the world. Awesome! You are in the midst of your journey and me in mine. Let's persevere with the light He gives us no matter the twists and turns. It's all good!

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