Do You Truly Understand?
Ponder this for week 2: Are you more focused on flaws or the movement despite the flaws? In yourself and in others.
We definitely live in a time where the quirks, flaws, shortcomings, and hard moments of people are displayed for all to see. With social media and the news, we have a front row seat to what is happening in the lives of other people. When they lose their temper, get a divorce, have a child, get married, suffer illness, or get cheated on, we’re right there with them. But are we?
We see what we are shown. And from what we are shown we make an assessment of who we think people are. Inside of the body of Christ, it is even more magnified and scrutinized. Because we expect a certain level of perfection when a person has a certain position. And, even beyond position you can count on the body of Christ to give a sharp opinion on how their brother or sister should be behaving and moving through life.
We give ourselves permission to judge how a brother or sister in the faith should be moving around in their walk. This was evident in last week’s focus on Hannah’s prayer. But also evident in last week’s focus was the fact that we think we know how another person’s faith walk should look and sound. But we might not.
Ahhh… Paul’s thorn. The infamous thorn. A point of scripture which is intriguing because it is vague. It’s a little bit of a cliffhanger. The Apostle Paul explains to the church at Corinth that he has a thorn to keep him from getting conceited. Conceited about the supernatural and the access he had to it. Conceit is something to surely be addressed as we live and as we lead in the body of Christ. Many times, people will see a man or woman moving in the things of God and acknowledge the man. Many times, men and women of God will regard themself in their gifts and omit God, the gift giver. But we all must acknowledge God. And that is the Apostle Paul’s entire point here.
The chapter begins with Paul happy to boast. His boasting could be in visions and revelation from the Lord. In what he has seen and experienced through others supernaturally as well. However, Paul’s boast is in the supernatural God and not the supernatural experience. God allows ordinary men to encounter Him so that they can boast on Him to others. Paul dares not talk about the work God has allowed through Him. Maybe another man can or maybe even Paul can boast about another man’s gifts. But no, Paul will not boast on himself no matter how God uses Him.
Paul instead diverts to his thorn as something to keep him humble
So, what exactly was Paul’s thorn? There are several theories on the true nature of Paul’s thorn. Some lean towards a physical disability. There are ideas from poor eyesight to epilepsy. Others explain that it was relational and by way of other human beings. Think false teachers and Christian persecutors. Some theologians think it was psychological. Possibly depression or anxiety. Any of these are sensible. These are all a sensible point of humility. Something for Paul to refer back to when admiration got too loud internally and externally.
SN: Imagine Paul in 2026… Social media would be having a good time talking about what this thorn is. How they know and all the details on how important the thorn is. But this man of God was still amazing despite the throne. The thorn that we really don’t know exactly what it was…
This part of scripture landed in the “You Think You Know” series because… In thinking about the thorn many might miss what else surrounds the conversation Paul is having.
It really doesn’t matter what the thorn was. There is honestly no need for any debate on what the thorn was that Paul suffered with. The message in this passage of scripture is that God has no worries about your thorn. God is strong so the thorn that makes us weak means nothing. Not only is thorn insignificant to God, but it should also be insignificant to us. Paul got it.
And we all have a thorn. And a thorn is not something we necessarily will get deliverance from. It’s just there. It will be there. It serves as a humbling reminder of God’s strength and our weakness. An alert that we need Him and we need to acknowledge Him. Paul got it.
I challenge you to detect your thorn and reflect on how the Lord has used you anyhow
To reel it in… YOU THINK YOU KNOW…
WHAT Paul’s thorn was. But that isn’t even the point and neither is any other brother or sister’s thorn issue is.
HOW another person’s thorn should be handled. But you do not.
WHY another person is not trying to rid themself of a certain hardship in their life. But this thing might be keeping them humble. So it’s a necessity that you have no understanding of. Stay in your lane.
WHO matters when it comes to thorns. The LORD! He is strong when we are weak and that’s essentially all that matters. No matter how great we or anyone believes our gift or call is. It’s never greater than the power of the Lord. We are vessels that are prone to thorns.
I pray that clarity hits you from this place of scripture and as you judge yourself and others. Find peace in hard moments and hard things about you. Could it be a thorn? If so, I pray that humility comes your way and not resentment or sadness as you continue to be a vessel for the Kingdom.
Keep going y’all.
xoxo – Pastor Dawana