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Tony Stith - Embracing Your Thorn |
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Tony Stith, reflecting on personal problems and trials, reminds us that if we try to remove a thorn or splinter, we sometimes do more damage than if we had allowed the body to apply nature’s solution. Paul acknowledges that to keep him humble, God allowed a metaphorical thorn to afflict him. Likewise, we all carry us thorns or struggles in our lives such as painful memories, health crises, physical disabilities, character flaws, etc. We may feel let down by God for not getting rid of these thorns. God did not give us these thorns, but He does often allow these trials to polish and shape our character. God is always in control. God wants us to walk by faith, not from a posture of trying to make deals. We need to allow God to work through our painful past. Physical infirmities bring us face to face with our human frailty. It is not wrong to ask God to remove the thorn, but if God allows them to remain, they can enable God’s strength to be made perfect in our weakness. We are not entirely privy to God’s plans for our lives, but we should trust that He knows what is best for us. We need to emulate Paul, knowing how to adjust to disappointments, how to be abased, and how to be exalted. In all our life events, our focus needs to be on God. We can find God’s strength in our weaknesses if we learn to trust God. Admitting our weaknesses * Affliction * Asperger Syndrome * Bob Barker * Can we make deals with God? * Cosmic Dodge ball * Dennis Prager * Dodge ball * “God thing” * God allows thorns * God is always in control * God’s timing * Irritants * Malcolm Muggeridge quotes * Messenger of Satan * Monty Hall * Permanent thorns * Philippians 4 * Romans 8:28 * Satan * II Corinthians 12:7-9 * Splinter in finger * Splinters * Strength made perfect in weakness * The Big Question * Thorn in the flesh * Thorns * Time and chance * Trials * When I am weak I am strong |
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Copyright 2009, Church of God, Big Sandy, Texas - All rights reserved. |
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