“God doesn’t have to come down with a big stick.” That was something my siblings all heard a lot growing up. From my mom, grandmothers, aunts, etc. It was usually after we had done something not very nice, and then somehow got ourselves hurt. Like if I had been teasing my brother, and then I tripped and fell down. The chastisement from the older ladies after own hurt was a gentle reminder that we were trying to put ourselves above others, and that wasn’t ok. Did God trip us? Or let our boasting blind us from what was in our path? That is certainly what the old Catholic ladies had us believe. And I have used that same saying with my children lately.
2 Corinthians 11:7 Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, and angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Paul had a vision of the heavens that was so magnificent, it could have put him above others if he bragged about what he saw. So this vision was kept a secret. To keep him humble, as he is human and not resistant to pride, Paul was given a “thorn in the flesh.” I have read that this “thorn” was not a mere small item, but like a tent stake. So this “thorn” was definitely visible to others. And perhaps they thought less of Paul because he had it. Maybe they thought he did something wrong to deserve having this obtrusion in his body, and if he had done something that wrong surely he isn’t the man of God he said he was.
2 Corinthians 11:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made in weakness.
Who would have thought that Satan would be allowed to harm someone close to God? But God allowed Paul to be humbled in this manner to remind him that Paul needed God. That just because Paul was a man of God and had seen the heavens, he couldn’t go off on his own and be mightier than others. Sometimes we forget that those who look like or seem like they have it together can also be fighting demons, and maybe fighting even harder ones than we have to face. We don’t realize what they have overcome to receive those blessings. We don’t see their weakness or the power God has given them to withstand their battles.
Jesus had thorns in his crown that was not gently placed on his head, but shoved into his scalp. He endured the nails hammered into in his hands and feet as he was nailed to the cross. He withstood all the demons around him, criticizing him as he was hung to die. He didn’t given in. He didn’t call it quits. He allowed the humiliation and degradation. He stayed humble on the cross. How? Through God’s grace.
In our daily battles, God is giving us grace to withstand the demons attacking us, the ones trying to make us weak. People say “God won’t give you anything you can’t handle,” aren’t quite right. Life will have things we can’t handle; can’t handle alone, that is. Until we understand that we are insufficient without God, we won’t see that his grace alone is sufficient. Grace is God’s strength and is available to us all the time. It fulfills what we lack. It is enough to overcome our obstacles, to power through our thorns. God uses our weakness to remind us that we need to rely of the grace through Jesus. And through that weakness, God strengthens us. God reminds us to be humble, that we are children of God. His grace is sufficient for us. His grace is sufficient for you.
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