The thorn in my side
Daily reminds me of my weakness
Is not His strength made strong in me for His glory?

The thorn in my side
Keeps me humble and dependent on Christ
Who better to lean on?

The thorn in my side
Causes me pain and sorrow
He was a man of sorrows, why not I?

The thorn in my side
Reminds me of Jesus and the spear in His side
Surely I can bear such a small wound as a thorn

This thorn in my side
Allows me to share in the sufferings of Christ
Is it not by His Stripes that I am healed?

Dear Reader,
We all have thorns that we must bear and carry in this lifetime. They are painful but beautiful too. They bring out our godliness and magnify God’s provision and strength. Refining will bring all the dross of our lives to the surface. Is your goal to be purified into the image of Christ? Developing a Christ-like character takes a lifetime to accomplish.

How then do we manage the pain of our thorn? For me, it was complete and utter submission to the will of God and the obedience to follow Him down the path He has lain before me. When I travel in His footsteps, I forget the pain and sorrow and rest in His care and provision. There is a contentment that seeps into my heart, as I know my obedience is pleasing to Him. By casting all of my cares upon Him, my burden is lifted and a healing balm is applied to my wound.

We have free will. We can choose the road that leads upward that keeps a righteous man from stumbling and going down to the pit. We can also choose to light our own lanterns and try to be self-sufficient. This is not wise, as God wants us to be dependent upon His grace and mercy. He created us so who are we to say that we don’t need Him and that we are just fine on our own?

The Lord took up His cross and obeyed the will of His Father. Surely we can bear our personal thorn and learn to obey God’s will as well.

ISAIAH 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-9
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.