Responding to Thorns

 

Responding to Thorns By Michael Youssef, Ph.D. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." (James 1:2)       Just as the apostle Paul experienced a thorn in his flesh, you may be experiencing a thorn right now.       Thorns aren't easy. As strong as Paul was, he begged God three times to remove his thorn. Yet he was still able to turn his weakness into an opportunity to bring glory to God. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong"(2 Corinthians 12:8-10).       We are always ready to brag about our own strengths and successes. But how often do we talk about our weaknesses and how God helps us overcome them? How often do we share about the strength of God's continuous power in the midst of our suffering?       Do you see your setbacks as a doorway for God's power to work in your life? Be open with God. Are you wrapped up in your problems? Has your thorn caused deep disappointment in your life? If you are still holding on to pain, resentment, or hopelessness, seek God's healing in your spirit. Allow Him to turn your scars into stars so that they may reveal His glory.       Prayer: God, help me to see my trials the way You see them. Show me how You want me to respond to them. God, I pray that You would be glorified through my trials. Amen.

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