The Gift of the Thorn-part 2

(if you missed last week’s devotional, please read part 1)(4) My thorn is personal… between me and God.The apostle Paul never speaks of what his thorn was, though many theologians believe that it was a physical ailment. Paul used great discretion in speaking about the details of his “thorn” and we would be wise to do the same.My own personal thorn is something that is so very personal, between me and God.  There are pastors and leaders in my life that I can candidly speak about my thorn with, but for the most part, very few people know of the details of my thorn.Though God desires to use our thorns for His glory, our testimonies of that can still be told with much discretion.  The gory details of a life lived with a thorn should be spared to most people… the goodness of a great God using our thorns for His glory is what we should share with everyone!(5) Through the pain of my thorn, I better understand and experience the grace of God.

Our Heavenly Father, so beautifully states in II Cor. 12:9 : “My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is made perfect in your weakness.”

Because God has chosen to not remove my “thorn in the flesh,” HIS GRACE has been poured out over my life!  And so will it be of your life too!I would not have known the GRACE OF GOD to the degree that I have, were it not for my own personal “thorn in my flesh.” And because of the great Grace I’ve received from God, I am now able to give away that same Grace to others!Paul finishes up his statement in verse 10 by saying, “But by the GRACE OF GOD, I am what I am. I am who I am today… because of the GRACE OF GOD poured out to me through the thorn that I continue to carry.I have learned another lesson about my thorn, especially when it comes to the holiday season: MY HAND IS ON THE SPOTLIGHT AND I HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE IT SHINES!Instead of allowing that spotlight to shine on all that’s wrong in my extended family, I choose to shine that light on the GRACE OF A GOOD, GOOD GOD!!!  And because Christmas isn’t about me at all but about the GIFT OF GRACE that God gave us through His Son, Jesus… THAT IS what I choose to look at and celebrate!

If I view my thorn as a handicap, it will always be a handicap in my life. But if I view my thorn as a GIFT, to better receive and appreciate the GRACE OF GOD, then it will always be a gift in my life.

The choice is mine. The choice is yours too.  Your thorn can be your greatest handicap or your greatest gift.  This Christmas season why don’t you choose to see it for the gift that it is?An opportunity for God’s ABUNDANT GRACE to be poured out over you and your family!