God wanted Paul to know, Understand with his mind what and why He was doing and Producing through the thorn and difficulties Paul was encountering.
The “Thorn” was given Paul…
1.- TO PROTECT HIM FROM SPIRITUAL PRIDE! “Because of the greatness of the revelations, FOR THIS REASON, to keep me from EXALTING MYSELF, there was Given me a THORN in the flesh….to KEEP me from EXALTING MYSELF.” Note the phrase used twice,”…to keep me from EXALTING MYSELF.” V7 – The “THORN, was,”God used the thorn to keep Paul humble!!! Who saw that one coming! But also…
2. – GRACE TO DEPEND ON JESUS -” My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” His Grace, empowering was not to found outside of Himself. The LORD used it to draw Paul closer to Himself. God uses the “thorn” to cause Paul to lean in on Jesus. Instead of being self sufficient he was Christ dependent! Dependent upon Him. His weakness did not turn him away from Jesus but reminded him where true strength comes from-Jesus Christ!
3. -THE POWER OF CHRIST UNLEASHED THROUGH THE WEAKNESS OF A MAN – “My…POWER is perfected in weakness…I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me “- v9 ” ..when I am WEAK then I am strong.”- V10. The word, “Weaknesses” {astheneia from a = without + sthénos = strength, bodily vigor) means literally without strength or bodily vigor = want of strength = lacking strength. Literally astheneia refers to bodily diseases or ailments (Lk 5:15, 13:11,}. Another meaning of “astheneia” is incapacity to do or experience something, an inability to produce results, a state of weakness or limitation (1Co 15:43; 2Co 11:30; Heb 4:15; Paul’s use in 1Co 2:3 conveys the sense of weakness in terms of courage.” {preceptaustin.}
The consciousness of his weakness, was not the end. “Why am I so weak” But he knew the purpose and the privilege of leaning on Jesus and receiving from Jesus Sufficient grace to empower him, to embrace the will of God for him, the race for him to run, to know Him better, keep him from spiritual pride and to know experintially, that his weakness was not the deefining thing in his life or the end, but the power of Christ was manifested and known through the background of personal awareness of weakness. His weakness, did not have the final say, “BUT GOD…” He did. He always does! Paul would not grow stronger in himself but the power of Christ he would personally now and be on display though him! { See tomorrows for “Understanding What God is using to Produce through the thorn and difficulties}
GOD HAS PURPOSE IN OUR “THORN” AND WITH IT COMES UNDERSTANDING TO APPROPRIATE HIS GRACE, TO KNOW HIM, AND POWER TO ENABLE US IN OUR DIFFICULTIES.
4. – AN UNDERSTANDING MIND; { INWARD CONTENTMENT WITH CHRIST}– ” Therefore I am WELL CONTENT with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE; for when I am weak then I am strong.” – V10. Paul said he was “well content” with a host of named difficulties because they had an eternal purpose, “FOR CHRIST’S SAKE.” He understood the bottom line, that this is “FOR CHRIST’S SAKE,” and with the understanding he could be “well content.” His personal testimony was “I am well content “(eudokeofrom eu= good, well + dokeo = to think ) It literally means, “to THINK Good, and so to be pleased or delighted.” He was some kind of maniac, wo loved pain BUT what GOD, PRODUCING. It is in the present tense, this was Paul’s continuous MINDSET, he THOUGHT OF IT AS A “GOOD” thing. Because, he understood the purpose of the thorn as revealed to him. So in the midst of the “thorn” that was extremely painful. It is the word used to describe a peg for a tent, also was used of wood sharpened at one end, to impale or torture someone! With this was many difficulties, he has listed, but his MIND SET was this was GOOD… BECAUSE he KNEW God’s Purpose, and so he was “well content,” continually so amidst difficult circumstances because of the KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING he had of what God was producing . Zodhiates explains the word “eudokeo…” -“means to think well of something by understanding not only what is right and good, as in dokeo, but stressing the willingness and freedom of an intention or resolve regarding what is good” In James chapter one, James tells the writers to count it all joy, not because the trials in and of themselves but what they were producing, namely, perseverance, spiritual maturity, imparting wisdom and the opportunity through perseverance to express love to the LORD and eventually receive from Him the “crown of life.” Both Paul and James looked to what the intent, purpose of the thorn and trials were producing. It did not nullify the pain or difficulty, but with the understanding gave them clarity of MIND to see that there was good in this because of what God was producing through them. Paul was not a masochist but his taking pleasure, was because he KNEW, he UNDERSTOOD what the thorn and circumstances were producing
Do you have a “Thorn? Difficulties? Painfully so? It is not to ignore and somehow try and convince yourself it is not so, BUT GOD… is using them to convey TO YOU and THROUGH YOU, and UNDERSTANDING Mind that this is to be THOUGHT of as GOOD when see through His Purposes. Has He not also promised, “All things work together for good to those who love God and are the called…” {Romans 8:28-29}
Paul’s Understanding Of What God was Producing Caused him to THINK right and Choose contenment!
Content With Christ While Suffering a “Thorn”-
PAUL’S RESPONSE- TO GOD, BEING GOD, AND ANSWERING PRAYER THE WAY HE WANTS WAS…
A. – CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST– ” And He said to me, “MY grace is sufficient for you. for {MY} power is perfected in weakness” -V9
B. – CELEBRATION BECAUSE OF CHRIST– “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather BOAST about my weakness, SO THAT the power of Christ may dwell in me .” – V9
C. – CONTENTMENT WITH CHRIST– ” Therefore I am WELL CONTENT with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE; for when I am weak then I am strong.” – V10. The word, “Content” comes from two words meaning “TO THINK” and “GOOD.” It has to do with an understanding mind. God had given Paul several reasons Why and What He was doing through the Thorn and His Provision of Himself and sufficient grace to empower, and His Power for his weakness, caused Paul in the midst of a painful thorn and difficulties to THINK of the GOOD that GOD was PRODUCING through the mans of the thorn and difficulties and so he continually did so, as the word grammatically is present tense,. Content speaks of “pleasure” His pleasure was in his understanding of the LORD and his understanding he KNEW what God was Producing!
D. – CHRIST HIMSELF– his Motivation!- He was the reason amidst great pain, conflict, hurt that he could go through it all, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties -be CONFIDENT, CELEBRATE AND CONTENTMENT because of His understanding given to him by Christ. He was content WITH CHRIST . Paul’s Motivation was to keep before him was …- “FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!” JESUS CHRIST WAS THE REASON TO GO THROUGH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH!
As the psalmist said, “I have set the LORD before me , because He is at my right hand I shall not be shaken.”
To look to Christ, do all for Christ and Interpose Christ between you and what you go through is safety for your heart! Some erroneously believe that to come to Christ you will be kept from hurt, pain, but this is not the testimony of the Scriptures or as we see Paul’s life.
In suffering hardship, Christ is the difference. To focus on Him. He through you, will magnify Himself to others and you can be content with Him!
GOD IMPARTED PAUL UNDERSTANDING AND HE THOUGHT OF THE THORN AS GOOD BECAUSE OF WHAT IT WAS PRODUCING.
UNDERSTAND AND THINK- GOD IS, PRODUCING GOOD THROUGH YOUR THORN AND DIFFICULTIES