The Gift of Grace

Studying my Bible study lesson this past week brought back a memory of my hero. My big brother, Regan.

Three times Paul asked God to remove his thorn. One, two, three… But God said, My Grace is sufficient for you. In your weakness you find my strength makes you strong.

When I was about 7 or 8 years old we had moved to a new place to live. I loved to go barefoot. So one afternoon I ran out to the mailbox to get the mail. I didn’t know there were patches of sand-spurs. I ran right into them. I tried to move but with each movement the sand-spurs stuck me. I could not budge, not even an inch without being stuck. I cried out for help and my older brother came to my rescue. He was able to carry me out of the tormenting pain that was being inflected upon me.

Tiny thorns stuck my feet each time I tried to move. Some were small enough to pull out without much effort. But there was one that was quite large and the thorn was in deep. I screamed, “Don’t touch it!”

My brother Regan said, “Marla, I’m going to count to three and on three; I will yank it out.” I trusted my big brother. Gathered up all of my courage and said, “OK.”

One…two…yank and it was out.

I wanted to cry but before I could the pain was gone and the sand-spur was out so there was no need to cry.

“Regan, you said on three.” I said with a pout.

He laughed and said, “It’s out, that’s all that matters.”

I didn’t have the power to remove the thorn. The pain was too great. But I knew someone who was bigger and could help me.

There are thorns that we are suffering with today. We find ourselves in the thorn patch and cry out…HELP ME!

Paul said his thorn was, a messenger of Satan… (2 Cor. 12:7)

Paul also said, “I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. (2 Cor. 12:8 HCSB)

One…two…three…but it would not go. God had another plan.

God said, “My Grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Sometimes the things we go through are for a greater purpose. Sometimes the thorns are there to protect us. They are there to teach us lessons of faith and hope. God knows what he is doing and he will use the thorn to cause us to trust Him. His grace is enough…but we have to come to a place in Him and allow humility and grace to carry us. We have to come to a place of acceptance and surrender to God’s will. Satan wants to destroy us. But God knows if we will hold onto him through the process it will be for our good. Not to hurt us but to give us greater faith.

Are we willing to endure a thorn for the calling of Christ? Are we willing to endure a cross? Are we willing to endure a grave? Are we willing to allow God’s grace to sustain us even though a thorn is not removed?

Only God can determine when that thorn has served its purpose and remove it. And sometimes it only comes after we have gone home to be with the Lord.

Living with a thorn brings, grace, and surrender, humility, favor, perseverance, love, and acceptance. It is a process that the child of God must learn, through trial and testing, that God’s grace truly is sufficient! His grace is enough!

Satan sends thorns to torment us, but God calls it a gift of grace!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill February 19, 2018