January 9, 2026
Soul-Deep Relience:The Power of the Thorn
”But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! – 2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMPC)
”Thorns” come in many different forms but they all bring pain. We often spend our lives praying for God to remove our “thorns”. Paul did the same. He struggled with a “thorn in the flesh”, (2 Corinthians 12:7)(NKJV) and while the Bible never specifically names it, we know the pain was real. Maybe it was a physical ailment, or maybe it was the emotional weight of the stress and isolation in his life.
What is your thorn?
It’s easy to look at others and assume they have no thorn, but everyone has one. No matter how much money someone has or how perfect their life appears on the outside, there is a struggle. Their thorn may not be the same as yours as people’s thorns are unique to them. But they are all thorns.
What God told Paul applies to us today: His grace is enough.
Grace is God’s unmerited favor, love and kindness extended to us-the undeserving. But grace is more than a feeling; it’s a practical, working tool. It gives us the ability to deal with our troubles “manfully”.
This isn’t a gender thing; it’s about spiritual maturity and courage. To do something “manfully” is to have a soul-deep resilience – an unwavering spirit that is available to every believer. It is the grace and strength that helps us navigate our trials without cowering down or shrinking back.
Sometimes God doesn’t remove the struggle or obstacle. He doesn’t always pull the thorn out. Instead, He gives us the opportunity to lean on His strength as we walk through the pain. This is the great riddle or paradox (a statement that seem contradictory or logically impossible) of the Christian faith. God’s strength and power are made perfect in our weakness.
When you feel you have nothing left to give, remember that you are in the exact position for God to be revealed and to do His best work. When we are at our weakest, He is at His strongest.
Today, instead of asking God to take our thorn away, we need to try asking Him: “How can Your grace help me walk through this manfully?”
Challenge for Today: Do you remember the song we all sang in Sunday School – “Jesus Loves Me?” There is a line in the song that says “I may be weak but He is strong.” Maybe we should still be singing that song as adults because it hasn’t changed. Grab a sticky note, index card, or piece of paper and write: “He is strong when I am weak.” Put it on your mirror, computer, in your purse/wallet-anywhere you have access to it throughout the day. Use it as encouragement when you are fed up or have just had enough. He longs to be strong for you.
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