“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, ESV)
When I was in the Army Ranger School, we had a phase of training in Dahlonega Georgia. One part of that training included a seven-day patrol. One of the things we hated in that area was the briars, the vines with thorns in them. I remember going through those vines and having my arms so scratched up that they looked almost raw. It happened that on the first day of the seven-day patrol that we went through the briars right as we left camp. Somehow, I got hit by a thorn in my thumb at the beginning of the patrol, not more than ten-minutes into it. The thorn became imbedded in my thumb below the skin. Yes, I had a thorn in the flesh and it was not fun. Yet I had to endure it for seven-days. By the time we got back to the basecamp, my thumb had swollen with infection from the thorn and I went to the medic to have it removed.
Thorns in the flesh are not a comfortable thing, but often something we must endure for a while. I cannot think of anything positive about having a thorn in the flesh. Yet it can be a good thing. At least that is what we can glean from Paul’s writing here.
Paul wrote about having a thorn in the flesh. While we do not know exactly what this thorn was, it was something that Paul did not want. We know this because he prayed three times for it to be removed. Yet this uncomfortable and unwanted thorn was good for Paul. The reason was that he was given it to keep from “becoming conceited.” The word “conceited,” huperairomai, means to raise one self over, figuratively to become haughty (Strong G5229).
Considering the revelations that Paul had in his experience of being caught up in paradise, it is understandable that he might have struggled with haughtiness. We know that pride is a dangerous thing. The writer of Proverbs warned, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, KJV). We also understand that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and that those who humble themselves are the one who will be exalted. Paul understood that prideful attitudes could be the downfall of the Lord’s servant. Thus, It seems that he was grateful that the Lord allowed this thorn in the flesh, “a messenger of Satan to harass” him so he would not fall into this prideful trap.
What can we conclude from this? Sometimes uncomfortable things are permitted to come into our lives to keep us from getting a big head. It may be a failure. It may be a personal attack from another believer. It could be a physical ailment. It may be a variety of other things. Yet these things can be good if they keep us from becoming conceited.
Renewing the Heart 