I love the Apostle Paul. He is one of my heroes. He wrote some great letters, didn’t he?
I’ve been reading 2 Corinthians this week. Paul had an up-and-down relationship with this church. That tension is seen throughout this letter, and it shows up again near the end. Paul is planning to visit them for the third time and is preparing himself and them for that encounter (see 12:14 and 13:1).
In verses 1-10 of chapter 12, he shares some thoughts about “visions and revelations” that he had. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven . . . I know that this man was caught up into paradise . . . and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter” (v. 2-4).
He’s talking about himself here. And this is getting quite fascinating! Paul had a revelation of heaven, but we don’t get to hear the details. Rats! I was hoping that he’d give some great info on what it’s going to be like to be with Jesus.
Apparently, learning about heaven is not the point of this passage.
The reason for Paul’s story about the-vision-we-don’t-get-to-hear-about comes next (v. 7-10):
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
God not only gave Paul these “visions and revelations,” but He also gave him “a thorn in the flesh” to “harass” him. Why would God do that? More on that shortly.
What was this “thorn”? We don’t know for sure. The best explanation I’ve heard (from a John MacArthur sermon) is that it was a demon because the Greek word for “messenger” can also be translated as “angel.” An “angel of Satan” sounds like a demon to me.
But that would mean that God sent a demon to bother Paul. Would God do something like that? Well, God allowed the devil himself to wreak havoc on Job. So I don’t have a problem with that interpretation. Other possibilities also make sense, such as a physical ailment.
While we can’t be certain about the nature of the thorn, we can be sure about God’s purposes through it.
PURPOSE #1: To humble Paul.
Paul is clear that God gave him the thorn “to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations.” God used the thorn to remove Paul’s pride.
PURPOSE #2: To increase Paul’s faith in God and His all-sufficient grace and power.
Paul asked God three times to remove the thorn. God answered that prayer with a resounding “No.” Instead, God gave Paul some of the most comforting words in the Bible: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
PURPOSE #3: To increase Paul’s contentment in difficult circumstances.
By trusting God to provide what he needed to endure the thorn and accept it as God’s will, Paul learned how to be content and to even “boast all the more gladly” in all kinds of tough times: “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities” (for details on Paul’s trials, see 2 Corinthians 11:16-33).
PURPOSE #4: To glorify Christ.
Through it all, as Paul became more humble, dependent, and content, God was exalted because His grace and power were on display in Paul’s sanctification. Paul realized this and could proclaim the ultimate purpose of these afflictions: they were “for the sake of Christ.”
Can you relate to Paul’s situation? Do you have any weaknesses? How about insults, hardships, persecutions, or calamities? We all have our share of difficulties. They are part of life.
I’ve been dealing with chronic neck and back pain for many years. The older I get, the worse it gets. I have asked God to heal me more than three times . . . more like 300 times. To no avail. I don’t like it and have days of frustration and self-pity, only to feel guilty about those negative emotions.
What God told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 is a source of much encouragement to me. I continue to pray for physical healing, but now I also pray for the healing of my heart, soul, and mind, that God would use the pain to reduce my pride, increase my faith in His grace and power, and make me content in this condition because I have God and He is enough for me. I hope that, like Paul, I can “boast” about this ailment and be able to sincerely say that my bad back is for my good because God is using it to make me more like Jesus.
May God teach us all how to be content in Him regardless of our circumstances.
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