Have you had any thorns lately?, You know, those irritating things that when you try to pull them out or eliminate them, they just seem get worse and worse! They usually relate to people. The Apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” like that, a continuous, irritating physical problem that was interfering with his ministry. No one knows for sure what it was; possibly eyesight. In any case, he found it frustrating. He correctly identified it as a “messenger of Satan to torment him”, but he did I not understand the real purpose of it at first!

You see, Paul had a blind spot, just like we have! It is simply this! IF I ever have any times when I am weak…well…maybe I need God’s strength to help me out…assist me! What he failed to see…and what we fail to see…is that we are AWAYS weak and it is only the recognition of this that unleashes God’s power to work in our lives!

I was a new pastor and there was one particular area I thought I was strong; shepherding and caring for people. I received a long hand written letter of criticism and in a area I thought was strong. I was crushed! I went under! Angry! How dare they! Should I resign? Had I failed? I thought of revenge! Hard thoughts! So unfair!

Suddenly, God let me see it from a His vantage point and I started laughing. The tension was gone, I felt like The Lord said to me, “Terry, you’re not that good even on your best days because the truth is you’re ALWAYS weak and those are the ONLY times I can make myself strong and glorify myself!

I was on a hike in Colorado and laughed all the way down the mountain! The thorn came out. I had been holding it there myself! Jesus took it out so gently.

What a gentle Shepherd!

Terry