20060106
       Paul continues his thoughts about setting aside ego for the sake of the Gospel by arriving at one of the greatest testaments to God using human weakness to His strength.
         We do not know what Paul’s thorn was, though we can guess that it might have been some physical malady, but whatever it was, it tormented Paul to the point where he thought it was preventing him from doing his job. He believed that he could do better, if only he would stop being afflicted.
         God, however, had other plans, for in this ‘thorn in the flesh’ the Father sought to teach Paul the very lesson he now sought to teach the Corinthians and us today. For in that suffering, that weakness, God knew that Paul must rely more fully on Him to carry out his preaching and teaching, and for that reason alone, God assured Paul that the ‘thorn’ would stay.
         In the same way, God allows us to experience frustrations, setbacks, illnesses, and the like so that we too, with Paul, will see the need to look to our heavenly Father and plead for mercy and grace. So, like Paul, relying on God’s strength and not our own, we can go forward with boldness, even when others think us fools, and witness to the Gospel we know will bring us to our Father.
         It is a great comfort to know that in all things, even in suffering and setback, God is there beside us, gently leading us on the path we should follow.
DLH
I always thought Paul’s thorn was ego which to me is a “messenger of Satan”. It can cause emotional and/or physical pain depending on how deeply you feel it is wrong and fight it. I am sure Satan puts up a battle and causes as much pain and misery as he can.
Keneil