my thorn

ok, so maybe i will use this thing. the sermon today was on one of the promises of God.

2 Cor. 12:1-10

1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But 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. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A thorn in your side. It doesn’t keep you from being able to go about your regular business, but its very irritating. Every time you move, get up, walk, twist or even breathe, it stabs you. You are constantly aware of it, and it causes weakness. Paul had a thorn, and God would not take it away, even though Paul pleaded with Him. God knew that Paul needed the thorn. He needed it to keep him humble. He needed it to make him weak, so that God’s power could be made perfect through his weakness. Everything good about you, every gift and ability, every experience you’ve been through, and everything you’ve learned; all places where you could be tempted to be prideful. Pride attacks when things are going well, when you think you’ve got everything under control. When you don’t think you need to rely on God anymore. “My power is made perfect in weakness.” God works best when you give Him control and don’t get in the way. It is easiest to give Him control over the stuff you know you can’t do anyway, your weaknesses. That is, if you acknowledge your insufficiency and stop trying to do it on your own. So basically, stop trying to get rid of the thorn, and ask God for grace to endure, and for His power to work.
So I got a couple thorns, I used to complain to God, ask Him to get rid of them, tried to get rid of them myself, they got worse, kinda like a porcupine quill, just keeps burying itself deeper, and bugging you more. By trying to do things on my own, I have gotten weaker, but that may be a good, thing, now His power can be perfect.

the beginning

i'm really only doing this so i can comment on other peoples... but i may do some stuff every now and then.