How Paul Dealt With His Thorn in the Flesh

Introduction

It will normally be my custom to just jump right into the lesson, but I hope that you’ll indulge me just a couple moments this morning as we begin this new phase of our life, this new chapter in our book, uh, by expressing our heartfelt appreciation for your confidence, the invitation to come and to labor with you and to be with you, uh, for all the kind words that were sent prior to our arrival and have been said uh in the last couple of days and even this morning. Uh one of you summed it up perfectly, I think, in the way that we feel. When someone just came up to me this morning and said, Welcome home. Uh and it’s good to be home. Uh it’ll take us a little while to get settled in.

We hope when we indulge your patience with us. Uh my socks may not match for a while. We may seem scatterbrained. And please give us a little bit of time to get to know your names. Uh you have an advantage over us. You have two names to learn. We have several more than that. When our daughter was growing up, our house kind of became the place to be, it seemed like, and every day when I’d come home, there’d be a new gaggle of girls. And it wasn’t always the same group of girls.

I would come in, I’d say, Hey, Lindsay, and she’d say, ‘I’m not Lindsay, I’m Lauren.’ The next day I’d come in, I’d say, Hey, Laura, and she’d say, I’m not Lauren, I’m Lindsay. And so I established a new rule, much to the chagrin of my daughters and her friends. When my daughter was growing up, I just started calling every girl that came to our house Sally.

And so if I call you all Sally for a while, I hope you’ll understand, but we’ll learn. Part of this new transition and new work that we’re engaging in is working together. And I appreciate so much the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with Greg in the presentation of the gospel, to work with the good deacons and the shepherds that oversee this flock, and just being a part of you and being a part of your family. And we appreciate you welcoming us into your home and into your hearts. Coming up very soon, we’re going to have a gospel meeting very next month. Brother Phil Robertson up in Gainesville will be coming to work with us that week in the presentation of the gospel. These gospel meetings afford us a wonderful opportunity to not just learn and to be strengthened and encouraged ourselves, but I think the original intent when gospel meetings was so that we might reach out to others and invite others to come.

I know you, as long as I and many other Christians have been frustrated in years recently, to realize that those efforts become more and more difficult. It’s harder to get somebody to come and visit with you during a gospel meeting. And so I’ve asked the elders to be able to do this thing with this upcoming gospel meeting, and I’m asking for your participation in it to try something that may be new to you, but something that we found that has some success uh in other places that I’ve worked is that in preparation for this gospel meeting, you invite as many people as you want, as many people as you can. But if you’ll just give me three, and that’s all I want, no more than three, three names and addresses of people that you’re going to invite.

And if you’ll give me those names and addresses, I’ll provide you with slips of paper later. I’ll provide you with my email address. You can just write them on anything and give them to me. But just three names and addresses of people that you plan to personally invite to the gospel meeting. And what I want to do is to send them a letter from me on behalf of the congregation here, inviting them as well. Now, I want to tell you a couple things about that. First of all, rest assured that your friends are not going to get on some mailing list, that they’re not going to get inundated with phone calls and letters. This one letter is all they’ll receive as a result of you giving them their name and address.

I’m just going to tell them something about the South Bumbee Church, something about a gospel meeting, what we do in a gospel meeting, and what they can expect to see if they answer the invitation positively and come and be with us. And so I hope that nothing in that letter will upset them or embarrass you in any way. But if you’ll give me those three names and addresses prior to the meeting, I’ll send them a letter as a personal invitation to them. And then write before or maybe during the meeting, if you’ll follow up with them and invite them again. That way they’ll have at least three invitations to come. And I think that you’ll be surprised at the number of people who respond positively to this type of invitation.

And so I hope that you’ll indulge me in this and be thinking about who you want to invite, who you want to include on this list of people. And as we go along, we’ll be reminding of you of these kind of things. As we use this as just one of many efforts to work together in the presentation and the sharing of the gospel. But I hope that you’ll help us in that effort. With the risk of painting a possibly accurate picture of my masculinity.

But I love roses. I love them for their beauty, but I also love roses because they’re kind of a metaphor of life. If we’re really honest, life is full of beauty. It’s like a rose. But as you and I have experienced, and life has taught us, life’s like a rose in the sense that there’s a lot of thorns as well. We experience hardships, don’t we? Those hardships can take different forms. They can be financial hardships, they can be family struggles and difficulties. They most often take the form of some kind of physical pain, some kind of sickness that we might experience. Or sickness and pain that someone that we love experiences that hurts us as well. You know, we don’t really need a whole lot of help in being told how to appreciate the beauty of the rose.

But sometimes we need guidance in how to deal with the thorns of life. And the scriptures do just that. The scriptures paint the picture of a life, if lived in God, in Christ Jesus, that is as beautiful as any rose garden. But the Bible also deals with the reality of the thorns of life, and not just the stark reality that life can be full of thorns, but the scriptures tell us how to deal with those things. Sometimes it tells us by means of example of other people who are going through what you and I go through in life. And we can look to their example and say, that’s how I can deal with the thorns of life. This morning I’d like for us to look at the apostle Paul and the example of Paul and how he dealt with a particular thorn in his flesh.

Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. We won’t read this entire ten verses. Paul begins by talking in somewhat cryptic language about the visions and revelations that he was blessed to partake in. And Paul understood what you and I probably understand that it would have been very tempting for someone in Paul’s position to be one of twelve men specially selected to be an ambassador for Christ to receive special visions and revelations from God that it would be very tempting to let that go to your head. And so Paul recognized that there needed to be humility. And he tried to find humility in the circumstances of life, and to that end he says this in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Let’s begin in our reading in verse 7, where he says, And lest I should, 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.

Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you. For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. One of the most interesting and perplexing sections of Scripture is Paul’s discussion here of this thorn in the flesh. That he says that he approached God on at least three occasions and begged that this thorn might be removed. But it wasn’t. And so Paul sought to see some good in this thorn.

Well, I want us to look at the example of Paul as spoken in this passage and see if there’s some application that I can learn from his example in how I can deal with the thorns in my life. First, let’s just talk about the big question about this thorn in the flesh. What was it? What was this thorn in the flesh? A lot of options have been thrown out there of what it might be. I guess if you pressed me for an answer, I would give you two answers. I think there’s some maybe some evidence from Paul’s writing in the book of Galatians that it might have had something to do with poor eyesight. But really pressed, we would have to say, we just don’t know.

Paul does not specify what this thorn in the flesh was. It being a thorn in the flesh might lead us to a vague conclusion to say that it was some kind of physical, bodily infirmity that he faced. But that’s all that we know. But you know, there may be grand wisdom in this vague description of it being a thorn in the flesh. Because all of us now can relate to it. If it was failing eyesight, and Paul said, I have this failing eyesight, and I prayed to God, you might say, Well, I can’t really relate to that because I have 2020 vision. Or if Paul said, you know, I’ve got a bum leg, and you might say, well, that doesn’t really reply to me because I can get around good.

But the fact that he simply left it in the most vaguest of terms and saying, I have a thorn in the flesh, you might be able to say, Yes, Paul, so do I. We can relate to it. Another thing that we might know about this is that it must have been true suffering. Paul called it his thorn in the flesh. Look at some of the descriptions here. He says, A thorn in the flesh in verse 7 was given unto me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, the new King James Version says. That word buffet there literally means to beat me. Here is the idea. Think of someone as difficult as it may be to discuss this illustration that Paul’s using here. Think of somebody just literally being beaten.

As Paul often was. But just think about someone just literally, maybe fist or clubs or rocks, beating a physical body. Until it’s nearly the point of death. That’s the word buffet here. That’s the word beat. And so this wasn’t just some kind of minor inconvenience that Paul suffered. Paul said this was a messenger of Satan that was sent to beat my body. It was real suffering. Another lesson I think we can learn from this is don’t trivialize someone else’s suffering and hardship. Just because it’s different than yours. I don’t know why, but sometimes we have a tendency to do that, don’t we? And that’s not good. Someone may describe some physical ailment that they have. And it’s almost our nature to immediately say it, oh yeah, but I had it worse.

Someone says, I’m suffering a bad cold. Well, just be thankful you didn’t have the flu I had last year. Mine was worse than yours. See, we trivialize what someone’s going through. We also can trivialize it when we don’t appreciate what they’re going through at that moment. Sometimes we do that with our children, don’t we? Parents. Being older and having experienced more. We think what our children is going through right now is nothing. Maybe a young adolescent girl comes home just absolutely heartbroken because the boy she has a crush on won’t have anything to do with her. Or because one of her classmates called her an ugly name, and her life is just devastated. And we might be tended to think, that’s nothing. You haven’t been through what I’ve been through.

Quit your crying. You don’t know what real suffering is. Somebody calling you a name. Some boy not wanting your affection, that’s nothing. And we tend to maybe trivialize what they’re going through. What we don’t realize that at their stage in life, that may be the worst thing they’ve ever suffered. Will they suffer worse than that? Yes. Will they maybe look back on that and realize that wasn’t really suffering or hardship? Probably so. Hopefully so. But it’s not our place to say what you’re going through isn’t hardship and it’s not suffering. The same is true with adults. Don’t trivialize, don’t minimize what someone else is going through. Just because their suffering may be different than yours, and just because, in your view, their suffering isn’t as difficult as yours.

1. He Did Not Blame God

But now let’s talk about how Paul dealt with this thorn in the flesh and see if we can learn some valuable spiritual lessons to deal with our own thorns. The first thing that I gather from this passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 is that he did not blame God. If this was a Bible class, I would ask you who he did blame. Who did he say this came from? 2 Corinthians chapter 10, look again in verse 7. He says, 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. Paul recognized that the source of suffering was sin. And that sin entered into this world because of the work of Satan.

And he says, this evil thing, this thorn in the flesh that is beating my body up, didn’t come from the hand of God. It was a messenger of Satan. Look back in Luke chapter 13. One of the healings that Jesus performed was with a woman who had an infirmity. A physical infirmity. And look how it is described in Luke chapter 13 and in verse 16. Jesus, as often was the case, was criticized by this healing that he did because it happened on the Sabbath day. But Jesus asked this in Luke 13, verse 16, so ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound. Think of it, for 18 years be loose from this bond on the Sabbath. Jesus says this woman with her physical infirmity was bound by, not by the hand of God, but by Satan.

Paul said, this was a work of Satan.

What about Job? And what’s interesting is you study the book of Job is that Job. Job felt like what was happening to him was coming from God. He said that. But there’s a difference in saying God is either allowing this, or maybe even God is the instigator of this, is what Job thought. There’s a difference in stating that than in saying God is to blame. Look back with me in the book of Job. Job chapter 1. In kind of the journey that Job went on in looking at the thorns that were in his life. Job chapter 1, let’s start in verse 20. Job has lost all of his property. He has lost his children. He’s torn his clothes, shaved his head. And look what he says in Job chapter 1, verse 21.

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord is taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Then the author writes this in all this Job did not sin, nor charged God with wrong. I find that very interesting because in verse 21, he says, the Lord has taken away. He says God is doing this. But the inspired author, one verse later, says he didn’t charge God with wrong. You see, there’s a difference in saying God is doing this or God is allowing this to happen, and charging God or blaming God with that wrong. Job recognized at some level that God had the right. And that’s finally what God will tell him. Look over in chapter 40 of the book of Job.

Now God didn’t charge Job didn’t charge God with wrong, but he did have some questions for God. Why is this happening to me? Why are you letting this happen to me? He asks these questions of God. Finally God replies, and look what it said in Job chapter 40, beginning verse 3. Job answered the Lord and said, Behold, I am vile. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer. Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further. Well, tell you if there’s a Bible verse we need to memorize. Maybe it’s this one. I laid my hand over my mouth. Job says, I’m just going to be quiet. I’m not going to charge God with this.

2. These Thorns Can Actually Serve a Purpose

Because he was finally and ultimately shown that I just don’t know what God is doing. I don’t understand all the intricacies of the most powerful and wisest creator of all the universe. And so the first thing we learn from Paul is he didn’t blame God. The second thing we learn about Paul and how he dealt with his thorn in the flesh, and how you and I may deal with some thorns in our lives, is to recognize that these thorns can actually serve a purpose. Does that mean that we enjoy them and that we ask for even more thorns? No. But we can see the difficulties, even the most painful experiences in our lives, serve some good purpose. Our God is so wise, so powerful, and so compassionate, that though we’re allowed to suffer, he can use those difficult times in our lives and actually make them positive.

Look with me in the book of 1 Peter. Chapter 1. You know, Paul stated there in our text that he viewed this thorn as an opportunity for humility. Now, I don’t know whether Paul was saying, I’m turning to 1 Peter chapter 1. I don’t know whether Paul was saying God is allowing this to happen for that express purpose. Or whether he was saying, since it’s happening anyway, I’m going to use it as an opportunity to learn humility. Look what Peter says about suffering. 1 Peter chapter 1. Start with me in verse 6. In this, that is the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 1, verse 6, in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love, though now you do not see him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible, full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your soul.

There’s a couple things I want to take out of Peter’s text here. First of all, he says that the trials that we undergo are a testing of our faith. How do you know that you have a faith that’s going to withstand? How do you know that you truly trust in God? The kind of faith that is pleasing to God, the kind of faith that is going to save you from your sin. How do you know that? The same way, you know how you know if a boat will float. You’ve got to put it in the water. And you don’t really know until then. How do you know you’ve got real faith in God? You don’t know until it’s tested. You don’t know until you’ve reached the moment of adversity.

It’s being tested. But Peter says that’s going to be tested so that it may be found. But look at that last verse that we read there in 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 9. The goal of all of this is receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your soul. Paul could deal with this thorn in the flesh and actually see it as an opportunity to teach him humility, to see good in it, because he realized what the big picture was. The salvation of our soul. When we understand the importance and the value of salvation, we will do anything, including enduring suffering that will strengthen and test our faith. Because I want the salvation. When the thorns of life, when the adversities of life challenge us and discourage us, we need to be reminded what the end goal is.

3. Prayer Was a Powerful Tool During a Crisis

It’s not to live in a bed of roses in this life. It’s not to have everything work out perfect in this life. The end of our faith is the salvation of our soul. And our prayers are to be, God, do whatever it takes, so that I might reach that objective. Paul understood. He even asked for this thorn to be removed. But he says, I can see some value in it. Another thing that we learned from Paul and how he dealt with this thorn in the flesh is that he saw that prayer was a powerful tool during a crisis. He says three times. I prayed three times that this might be removed from me. I find it interesting that it seems that Paul said, here were some difficulties in my life, and what did I do?

I prayed. He certainly understood again what Peter would say when he says, casting your cares upon him, for he cares for you. I fear that sometimes we dismiss the concept of prayer. The prayer is one of those things that the preacher has to include. You know, every list of what you ought to be doing is going to include Bible study and prayer. Yeah, that’s okay, you’ve got to say that. Don’t let the repetition of those two items on any list, Bible study and prayer, lead you to the conclusion that they’re just a yeah yeah thing thrown in. They’re on every list. They’re mentioned so many times even in Scripture because of the absolute essentiality of them. Prayer. Pray. Now, you might say, but now wait a minute.

He prayed, but God didn’t give him what he prayed for. Well, I’m going to say a couple things about that. You know, and I know you’ve talked about this before, there’s different ways that God can answer prayer. You probably know the list, have it memorized yourself. God can say yes. God can say no. God could say, maybe wait.

And I’ve heard all my life that God always answers prayer, but sometimes he says no. I don’t know that that’s accurate. I don’t find any biblical passage that says God has to answer prayer. He may not answer our prayer in the affirmative or in the positive. That is his prerogative, as he would tell Job as the one who hung this planet in the stars. But we must remember two things when we pray to God about our thorns. Number one, he is God and you are not. That’s an humbling thing to admit. The second thing, though, is that in Paul’s case, in Job’s case, and maybe in our case, it is certainly the case that God knows better than we do. And where we might see the removal of this thorn as a blessing.

4. He Accepted God’s Answer

God says, You need this thorn. Paul needed this thorn in his life. And he came to recognize that. And so he prayed to God for it. But then the last point is that he accepted God’s answer.

Paul was in a different place than you and I in this sense that it seems to me from the reading of 2 Corinthians chapter 10 that Paul received a direct answer. He didn’t have to connect the dots. It seems to me that God actually spoke to him. He talked about the visions and revelations that he received from God. He had that opportunity and advantage as an apostle of Jesus Christ that maybe we don’t have. He says, God, please remove this thorn. God came back to him and said, No, I will not. The test of our mettle as a Christian is not when things are going right, when things are going good, when God seems to be blessing us. The test of our mettle as a Christian is when things are going wrong.

Now don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say. I’m not criticizing anybody who makes these statements, but sometimes when good things happen to us, we praise God for those things, and we should.

And we should.

But praise God anyway. That seems what Paul did. Paul didn’t turn around like some petulant child and say, Well, God, if you’re not going to bless me, I’m not going to bless you. If you’re not going to give me what I want, then I’m not going to give you what you want. Paul said, I accept the wisdom and the position of God. Maybe that’s the greatest lesson that we can learn in all of this is to truly humble ourselves before God. In accepting God’s will in our lives. Even when it doesn’t line up with ours. What do you do when you don’t understand? What do you do when you disagree with God? When you want it one way, and God doesn’t seem to be granting your request.

Conclusion

What do you do? It’s the true test of faith. Is adversity and maybe not always getting what we want. Life’s not all about the beauty of the rose. Life’s much about the pain of the thorn. Let’s learn from the example of Paul in accepting God’s answer. In accepting God’s will in our life, whatever it may be. We must accept God’s will when it comes to what He has revealed to us as to what we must do in order to be saved. It may not be what I want to hear. I may disagree with God. I might say, God, I wish I just had to do this in order to be saved. But true faith, saving faith, says, I’ll do it your way, God. Speak for your servant here.

If you’re subject to the gospel call this morning, if you need to be saved from your sins, why not let your faith move you to obey Him this morning? Maybe you’ve done that, but maybe a thorn in your life has caused you to doubt God and to blame God and to pull away from Him. Learn to accept His will. Learn to love Him and trust Him in the good times and the bad. If you need to come back to Him in obedience in any way, why not come right now? As together we stand and as we sing.