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What Is God Doing through the Coronavirus?
THE MEANING OF THORNS
Or consider God’s purpose in Paul’s painful thorn in the
flesh:
To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing
greatness of the reve la tions, a thorn was given me
in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me
from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the
Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. (2 Cor. 12:7–9)
Paul was blessed with great reve la tions. God saw the danger
of pride. Satan saw the danger of truth and joy. God governs
Satan’s strategy so that what Satan thinks will ruin Paul’s
witness actually serves Paul’s humility and gladness. Paul
gets a thorn in the flesh—a “messenger of Satan.” And a
messenger of God! We don’t know what the thorn is. But
we know that thorns are painful. And we know that Paul
asked three times that Christ would take it away.
But Christ will not. He has a purpose for this pain.
Namely, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (12:9).
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