And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, THERE WAS GIVEN TO ME A THORN IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I TAKE PLEASURE IN INFIRMITIES, IN REPROACHES, IN NECESSITIES, IN PERSECUTIONS, IN DISTRESSES for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
There are several ways you could look at your marriage.
- One of the ways to think of your marriage is to see it as a “thorn in the flesh”.
- You could see your marriage as a reversible mistake that you have made!
- You could also see your marriage as an irreversible mistake that you have made!
- You could see your marriage as God’s gift of comfort to you!
- You could also see your marriage as God’s way of testing your character.
No one knows exactly what Paul’s “thorn” was. It could have been anything. It could have been a sickness, a mistake, a financial crisis, an old friend, an old problem, a secret sin, a curse or even a relationship. One of the things it could also have been was a difficult marriage had he been married.
Whatever the “thorn” was, it really affected Paul. He was unable to get rid of this problem. That sounds like someone’s marriage! You can easily get rid of an employee you do not want. You can easily get rid of a disloyal associate you do not want. But you cannot easily get rid of your marriage.
Perhaps, if Paul were married, God’s grace to him would have been to allow him to suffer through marriage. Whatever the “thorn” was, it was a powerfully humbling experience to the great apostle. Many people are humbled greatly by their marriages.
What it Means to Accept a “Thorn in the Flesh” Marriage
1. Accepting a “thorn in the flesh” is to accept something from God Himself.
If your marriage is a “thorn in the flesh”, it is something that has been given to you by God. It is not right or even possible to get rid of this “thorn in the flesh”. If you divorce or remarry you are likely to have another buffeting agent released against you.
Paul said that a messenger of satan had been given to torment him. A demon that has been allowed by God is the only demon that you cannot bind. God Himself has allowed the demon to be continually present in your life.
If God blesses your ministry, you must expect
a “thorn in the flesh” as a necessary humbling agent. If it happened to Paul,
why can it not happen to you? I cannot tell if your marriage will be a “thorn
in the flesh”, but I can say that some people’s marriages are
“thorns in the flesh”!
John Wesley admitted that if he had had a good marriage like his brother Charles, he would probably not have travelled around, doing the work of ministry like he did. A thorn was given to him in the form of his wife, Molly. A thorn keeps you perked upright! A thorn keeps you on your toes! A thorn keeps you from relaxing!
2. Accepting a “thorn in the flesh” is to accept that your marriage will be a weak spot in your life.
Apostle Paul said, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities.”
That is what it means to accept a thorn in
your flesh. If your marriage is a “thorn in the flesh”, you must receive it as
an infirmity and a weakness in your life. It is a weakness that you
cannot get rid of. It will always be a weak point that
satan will attack.
Your marriage will be a weakness that you must live with. It is like having a sickness you must take medicine for every day.