2 CORINTHIANS 12:1-10 – “I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.  On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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. 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.”

THEME OF THE DAY: THE NECESSITY OF PAIN.  Today’s scripture is familiar to most Christians.  The Apostle Paul was taken to heaven and received incredible visions.  He then returned to this world.  In order for him not to boast of his experience and what he saw, God assigned a messenger of Satan to him. Paul called it a “thorn in the flesh.”  We don’t know what it was, but we do know it was painful.  This wasn’t a small rose bush type of thorn either. It hurt.  It had to because it came from Satan.

The underlying theme and lesson in this text is the sufficiency of God’s grace. Paul earnestly pleaded for the Lord to take his painful thorn of the flesh away and the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Yet, there is something else to learn.  Pain is a necessary part of the Christian life.  And this is not always easy for us to embrace.  We don’t suffer well. We complain easily when called to suffering.  Yet, God ordains that pain, all kinds of pain – emotional, physical, and spiritual – are invaluable tools to teach us lessons about the Lord, ourselves, and bring about a level of humility necessary for spiritual growth.

So, how do we respond when given thorns in the flesh?  Maybe something like this; a prayer – “Lord, help me not to complain, but make me sensitive to learn what You would have for me in this season of pain.”  As we respond properly to pain, we will experience more of the Lord Jesus, more of His joy, and more of His strengthening grace.

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for the times I complain in my pain instead of learn from my pain.

REFLECTION: Pain is one of God’s choice teachers. Be good students and learn from it.