Temptations and trials can be a real thorn in the flesh—constantly gnawing at us from every side. At times, we find ourselves asking, “If God is leading me, then why do all these things keep happening?”
But here’s the truth: it is often because God is leading you that these trials, obstacles, and temptations arise.
Let me explain why I believe this…
Paul, the great apostle, was a man favored with visions and revelations from God. Yet, despite his close walk with the Lord, he faced a persistent struggle—poor eyesight. It made his ministry difficult, and like many of us, Paul prayed earnestly that God would remove this obstacle.
However, the Lord had a greater purpose.
Paul shares this experience in 2 Corinthians 12:7–10:
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in the 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. That 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.”
Paul was doing good—preaching the gospel, fulfilling God’s mission. Surely, many must have wondered, “Why wouldn’t God heal His faithful servant?” Perhaps Paul wondered the same.
We hear similar questions today:
“If God is truly with you, why are you struggling so much?”
“If God is love, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people?”
Paul’s testimony gives us an answer. God does not always remove the trial; instead, He walks with us through it—so we may see our weakness and His strength.
Why would He do this?
Because God wants us to lean on Him more deeply and rely less on ourselves. Paul’s weakness drew him closer to God’s throne. Each unanswered prayer became an invitation to deeper dependence.
The more we feel our weakness, the more we desire help—and for the Christian, that help is found in Christ. The heavier the temptation, the deeper we are driven into prayer and into His Word. That is how God strengthens us. That is how He grows our faith.
God uses the discipline of trials to draw us into closer fellowship with Him.
Application:
I know someone reading this today is walking through something hard. You’ve followed God’s call. You’ve obeyed His Word. Yet, the trials keep pressing in.
Be encouraged—there is purpose in your struggle. God is not punishing you; He is perfecting you. There is a lesson He longs for you to learn, and to discover
it, you must cling to Him through the storm. Trust Him more deeply than ever before. Keep persevering in prayer.
His promise still stands:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
When we overcome through His strength, our lives testify to the universe that God is able to keep us from falling—that His Word is true, His love constant, and His grace more than enough.
So today, will you allow God to use your thorn to glorify Him?
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