Thorny troubles?

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, 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.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 

When I think of a thorn in the flesh, I immediately surmise something bad, hard, or painful. Yet, the Apostle Paul sees his thorn in the flesh as a blessing, God’s way of keeping conceit at bay and humility ever present. He was a generously gifted person, someone whom the Lord Jesus had revealed Himself in such profound ways that Paul was unable in some cases to wrap words around or even have a release from Holy Spirit to share. Yet he suffered. Paul suffered thirty-nine lashes five times, was beaten with rods three times, stoned three times, and shipwrecked three times. In addition to these afflictions from others, he also experienced a physical ailment. Like a thorn, small, out of sight, pesky with the potential for infection and more severe pain. Like Jesus in the garden, Paul pleaded for the Lord to extract his thorn three times. God said no, “My grace is sufficient for My power will be made perfect in weakness.” Delivered by Satan’s messenger, but God used it for good. Paul learned in his pain that humility boasts of weaknesses while pride boasts of strength.

How can pain in our bodies be a blessing? A rose is one of God’s most compelling creations; its sight and smell ignite pleasure and praise, yet the stem lifting up its beauty is adorned with thorns. The beauty of our Creator's handiwork is on display not where pain is always absent but where pain is ever present, sometimes intentionally inflicted. As Paul describes, thorns are meant to be like trusses that bind our hearts, minds, emotions, and bodies closer to Christ. Unchecked egos run over relationships, taking for granted God’s blessings. So, in the Lord’s wisdom, He sometimes allows evil influences to keep a person’s conceit in check. What’s meant for bad, God uses for good. Spurgeon describes the need for restraints to protect us from pride and conceit:

Let us never desire to be rid of those restraints which God has seen fit to lay upon us—they are more necessary than we have ever dreamed of. Remember how the vine, when bound to the stake which upheld it, judged itself a martyr and longed to be free, but when it saw the wild vine at its feet, rotting in the dampness and pining amidst the heat and producing no fruit—it felt how necessary were its bonds if its clusters were ever to ripen! Be content, dear brothers and sisters, to keep the thorn in the flesh if it saves you from being exalted above measure!

God’s grace is sufficient in whatever circumstance you are experiencing. You cannot control another person’s behavior, but God can give you the grace to approach another’s hurt with a humble spirit and empathic heart. Physical pain may be overwhelming you, but as you commiserate with Christ in His fellowship of suffering, He extends grace, mercy, and comfort in your time of need. A thorn in the flesh has an expiration date, but God’s grace never spoils or runs out. Your body of flesh will one day enjoy a glorified body with God, but while you are in the body, you can pray for God to bring grace and healing to your tired fretful flesh. In your weakness, He becomes strong, so your body becomes a living sacrifice to glorify your Creator.

The Lord's funnel

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

God gave me an open vision. I was awake and my eyes were open, but in my mind’s eye I saw myself seated at a small desk with pen in hand and a journal in front of me. Jesus stood to my right, and he was talking to me. I didn’t hear what he was saying, but I knew he was giving me words to put on the page. In my vision, I was listening to him and writing down what He said. I knew He was showing me that I am simply His funnel and that He will always give me words to write. All I have to do is ask for His help.  

Since then, I cannot tell you the number of times when I have sat with pen and journal in hand, empty without anything to pour out, and I have said, “Lord, please give me something to share. Please give me your words.” Without fail, He has provided, showed up and enabled me to be His funnel.

Being a funnel in life isn’t just for writers. It’s for all people, big and small. 

You can be His funnel when you reach out to others to speak words of grace and truth. 

You can be His funnel when you discipline your children and show them His way. 

You can be His funnel when you share your financial resources to be a blessing. 

You can be His funnel when use your creativity to paint, draw, or sing. 

You can always be His funnel in every situation and every circumstance to do His will, be a blessing, and bring His light into the world. 

Notice the words “can be.” There are times when I have been empty without words to share and I haven’t asked the Lord for His help. I haven’t asked Him to give me His thoughts. I haven’t asked Him to guide me in what I share—and I have felt it. It’s been arduous, difficult, painful, and unpleasant. 

But when I have asked for His help, it’s been easier and life-giving, (definitely for me and hopefully for those who read) as I have been led by His Spirit. 

My question for you today is: Will you be His funnel? If you answered yes, let me encourage you. It’s not that difficult. It only requires three things: 

A humble heart. 

A willingness to ask for help in doing His will. 

Slowing down long enough to hear. 

When you decide to be His funnel and you ask Him to help you do His will, it doesn’t mean it will be easy, but it does mean that it will be easier than doing any task or action in your own strength. 

“For the Kingdom of God is . . . righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

He holds our heart

 Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

When I was told that my mom passed, it took my heart a moment to catch up with the words my ears heard. The first thing I felt was shock, followed by numbness, and then before dealing with this fully I have a church to feed as I received word right before taking to the pulpit. I'm convinced this is the body's way of protecting itself. Looking back on those early hours, I'm in awe that I could function, let alone, preach, then drive after receiving the news. 

It makes you wonder: How does the body even manage when one of the worst things that could happen to you does? As the hours passed and I began to absorb the enormity of the situation, I was sure my heart wouldn't survive. But I discovered that somehow, a broken heart still beats. 

Loss of a loved one is more brutal than anything I've ever encountered. I've been through the death of close friends, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, church members, and other loved ones. But the death of a parent is a loss like no other. I honestly thought my world was shattered beyond repair. However, the sun rose every day, and the moon appeared in the night sky when the day was over. Other people's lives went on when my own had just driven entirely off course. 

When our loved one dies, no matter how many tears we shed or if we cry so hard that we're left gasping for air, our broken hearts still beat.  

Some think we are strong because we managed to survive the loss of our loved one. But really, what choice did we have? We must keep going – one step, one moment at a time. 

Others ask, how do you do it? I attribute every step I've been able to take along this journey to my faith in God. If it weren't for my relationship with Jesus, I would not be able to function, let alone live. We will all go through loss at some point in life. No one is immune to traveling this path. What we do and how we handle the loss is equivalent to how the rest of our lives will unfold. 

Placing our brokenness into the hands of The One who made us is our only hope. He is the healer of all broken things (see Isaiah 41:10). He is our Comforter (see Psalm 23:4). The Healer of every shattered heart is also the Promise Keeper (see Joshua 21:45), who promises to heal the broken-hearted (see Psalm 34:18). And He promises never to leave us nor forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:8).

There is no specific time frame for grief. Just don't give up. If you're deep in the valley right now, hold on. Help is on the way. Reach out to The One who longs to hold on to you, and He will carry your broken heart that still beats in His gentle, loving hands. 

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (see John 1:5)

Free from comparison

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

In Philippians 3:14, Paul wrote, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

When I think about this scripture, I envision a man with his eyes firmly fixed ahead. He’s not looking around to see what others are doing in their race. He is simply concerned about his own journey. To do otherwise, to gaze at other runners, not only to see how they are running, but to consider what they are receiving from the Lord and how they are being blessed, is unproductive and can lead to grumbling, a lack of gratitude, and feeling overlooked and ignored by God.

When we begin to compare our blessings, lives, and trials to our brothers and sisters, we are ignoring a simple truth: for the Lord to give to us as He has given to others, in the same manner and in the same timing as He has given to others, would be unfair. Because He has uniquely created each of us, and given us each special assignments, His answers for our prayers and requests must be uniquely answered as well. He knows what each of us need and when we need it. And (hallelujah!) His answers are always rooted in His mercy and love.

In Mark 10 in two separate instances, people asked Jesus for a blessing. In the first instance, James and John asked Christ “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left” (Mark 10:37).

Jesus denied their request.

In the second instance, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting on the side of the road and asked Jesus to give him sight (Mark 10:51).

Jesus said yes. Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

These two stories are a great reminder, that sometimes the Lord will say yes to our requests, and sometimes He will say no. But whatever His response, all His responses are done in love, and all are assigned especially for us. He never answers haphazardly or without care. Remember, as you experience God’s yes and His no, that you have been uniquely created with unique assignments, therefore, His responses for you must be unique too.

Keep your gaze firmly fixed ahead. Do not look about comparing yourself to others, wondering why God has favored them more. That is a lie from the devil. You are also highly favored in a very unique way. Don’t forget it. 

“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot” (Proverbs 14:30).