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.
– 2 Corinthians 12.7
Most of us despise our own weaknesses. The inner drive for success, for accomplishment, for recognition, is sabotaged by the presence of failure. As a result, we find ourselves at war within, in a never-ending wrestling match with those enemies that emerge from our own flaws.
Each of us experiences weakness in different ways. For some, weakness is a fragile emotional disposition, with a tendency towards depression or pessimism or fear. For others, weakness is an awareness that those talents you wish you but do not – you’re not as bright, or as confident, or as witty as others. Then there is the weakness of circumstances; a chronic sickness, or a disadvantage that sets you back in life. And we should not forget the various spiritual weaknesses we are reminded of daily – a lack of faith, of prayer, of purity.
I am acutely aware of my own thorns in the flesh. I occasionally suffer debilitating migraines and other inexplicable neurological problems that remind me of how fragile life is. I sometimes have to do battle with my own melancholic tendencies. I do not default towards robust faith. This is just the beginning of the list.
Nobody knows what Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ was. Maybe the reason we don’t know is so that we can all identify with his experience and apply it to our infinitely diverse experiences of weakness. But whatever the specifics, the spiritual lessons are just the same today as they were for Paul. God has good reasons for allowing us to experience our limitations.
For one thing, your weakness is a protection against pride. Paul’s thorn was ‘to keep [him] from becoming conceited’. Your thorns do the same thing. They are a daily reminder that no matter how hard you try, you will never conquer yourself, never mind the world.
The reverse is also true. God allows us to experience weakness because it fosters dependence. Just as you are least likely to pray for God’s provision when all your needs are met and your salary is ample, so also you are least likely to depend on God in other ways when you feel confident, competent, and strong. Therefore, God makes you weak. He helps you to see that you need him.
In the extraordinary Prayer of Moses, he meditates on human weakness. He acknowledges the facts: We’re just dust. Our lives are like grass that fades and withers. We have secret sins.
And in this posture of humility, Moses prays, ‘Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.’ An awareness of limitations does not necessarily lead to a glum outlook on life. It can help you go back to the source of joy every day. It can help you be like a child, enjoying the simple pleasures that God gives instead of the empty promises of success in life.
So, thank God for your thorns. They are a gift.