“Dealing With Your Thorn In The Flesh”
Lesson # 2
“Coping With A Chronic Illness!”
2 Cor. 12:7-10
“And lest I should be exalted
above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to
me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (8) Concerning this thing I pleaded
with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (9) And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for
you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.(10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I
am weak, then I am strong.”
Last Wednesday we began a new study
entitled “Dealing
With Your Thorn in the Flesh.” We discovered that in 2 Cor. 12:7-10 the
Apostle Paul discusses his thorn in the flesh and it’s effect on his life. All we
really know about his particular affliction was that his thorn was something in Paul’s
life that would not go away. It was painful, it hurt, and it seemed as though it was there
to stay.
Because Paul does not identify the exact
nature of his thorn we enabled to enter into that experience, by substitute our own “thorn.”
What we need to note generally is that God most often chooses the dark times, - times when
are experiencing problems, difficulties and suffering – to draw us closer to Himself
and into a deeper relationship.
Tonight we are going
to begin to examine some of the unique “thorns in the flesh” that individual
believers have to battle. Tonight we are to
be looking at “Coping with A Chronic Illness.”
When they say:
“It
could be one of several things.” What they really mean is: “I haven’t
the foggiest idea what’s wrong with you.”
When they say:
“Are you
sure you haven’t had this before?”
What they really mean is: “Because you’ve got it again.”
When they say:
“I’d
like to run that test again.” What they really mean is: “The lab
lost your blood sample.”
When they say:
“Insurance
should cover most of this.” What they really mean is: “You’ll have
to sell your house to cover the rest.”
When they say:
“These
pills have very few side effects.” What they really mean is: “You may
experience sudden hair growth on your palms.”
When they say:
“Why don’t
you go over your symptoms with me one more time.”
What they really mean is: “I don’t remember who you are.”
When they say: “There’s a lot of this going around.” What they really mean is: “And we’ll give it a name as soon as we figure out what it is.” [David Grimes in Sarasota Herald-Tribune, quoted in Reader’s Digest, May, 1994, p. 112 - www.bible.org/illus./illness]
Tonight we are looking
how chronic illness may be a thorn in a believer’s life. By “chronic”
we mean an illness of long duration with little or no sign of change for the better. Many
Christians can identify with this problem.
As we noted last week
many scholars believe that this Paul’s “thorn
in the flesh” was a physical affliction. Because in Galatians 6:11 Paul speaks of
a problem with his eyes, has led to the
belief that he had a chronic eye disease. This of course is speculation but there is
perhaps more evidence for this theory than any other.
Although we will never
know for sure this side of heaven what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” we can say this. The word
Paul used translated “thorn”
literally mean “stake.” So
what Paul is suggesting is that what ever it was it was if a stake was driven into his
flesh, pretty descriptive don’t you think?
We are not told
the specific nature of Paul’s suffering, we have to conclude that the details are
beside the point. If we had been told the exact nature of his affliction, this passage
would have only seemed a story about Paul.
Neither do I want this
to be about me and my particular “thorn in the flesh.” Let me just try to tell
you enough to say that I can identify with passage very well. Some of you know that I
suffer with headaches. Here what I know, they
are not migraines, they are not allergy related, they do not respond to seizure medicine
and they will not go away. They are daily
headaches; quite simply that means I have a headache everyday. So much so that I do not
like to talk about it because I get tired of hearing myself complain.
So what are we to do
if our thorn in the flesh is a chronic illness or ailment.
First, We need to See God In Our Illness
David Jeremiah in a book entitled “A Bend
in the Road: Experiencing God When Your World Caves In” testifies of his
own personal battle when diagnosed with lymphoma. In his book he identifies three possible
choices we can make when we face one of what he calls life’s “disruptive
moments.” When faced with difficulties in life (1) we can despise the moment and rail against it, or
(2) we can be discouraged by it and lose
heart, and give up or (3) we can endure
it and [learn] by it. [David
Jeremiah. A Bend In The Road. (Nashville: Word, 2000) p. 17]
One of the first
questions to arise when one is suffer a serious illness is, “What have I done to
desire this?” This of course pertains to
the connection between illness and sin. There are still those who like Job’s friends
when calamity strikes they are there to offer, “Maybe there is sin your life?”
And it has to be admitted there can be a connection between sickness and sin. But it is my
belief if there is a connection between your sickness and sin you will not have to guess
about it, you will know. But that life teaches us that some of the best people in the
world, in whom there was no serious no disclosed sin, have been ill.
When we find ourselves
faced with difficulties such as chronic illness we ask many questions, all beginning with
the word “Why.” “Why this Lord? Why now Lord? Why not later? Why
not someone else?” These
questions are all apart of being human, but in reality there are better questions to be
asked – we can ask “What”
questions. “What
is it that you want me to learn from this Lord? What do you want me to do?”
The following is an imaginative letter from
God to someone going through a difficult time.
“My
child, I have a message for you today, let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild
with glory any storm clouds which may arise and smooth the rough places upon which you may
have to thread. It is short - only five words
– but let them sink into your inmost soul, use them as a pillow upon which to rest
your weary head.
THIS THING IS FROM ME
Have
you ever thought of it, that all that concerns you, concerns me too? For “he that
touches you, touches the apple of my eye” (Zechariah 2:8).
I
would have you learn, when temptations assail you, and the “enemy comes in like a
flood,” that this thing is from Me, that your weakness needs My might, and your
safety lies in letting Me fight for you……
Are
you in money difficulties? Is it hard to make both ends met? This thing is from Me, for I am your
purse-bearer, and would have you draw from and depend upon Me. My supplies are limitless
(Philippians 4:19).….
Are
you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, who never
consulted your taste, who put you in the background? This thing is from Me. I am the God of your
circumstances. You cam not to this place by accident, it is the very place God meant for
you…..
Are
you passing through a night of sorrow? This
thing is from Me. I am the “Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief.” I
have let earthly comforters fail you, that, by turning to Me, you may obtain everlasting
consolation (2 Thess. 2:16,17)
Has
some friend disappointed you? One to whom you opened out your heart? This thing is from Me. I have allowed this
disappointment to come, that you may learn. I
want to be your confidant. ….
Have
your plans been upset? Are you bowed down and weary? This thing is from Me. You made your plans,
them came asking Me to bless them, but I would have you let Me plan for you and then I
will take the responsibility……
Have
you longed to do some great work for Me and instead been laid aside on a bed of pain and
weakness? This thing is from Me. I could
not get your attention in your busy days, and I want to teach you some of My deepest
lessons…..
…Remember,
interruptions are divine instructions. The sting will go as you learn to see me in all
things…. [Laura A Barter
Snow. “This Thing Is From Me.” (Grand Rapids: Faith Prayer and Tract
League) ]
We must See God in Our Illness and..
Second, we need to
Submit to God In Our Illness
Like Paul you may have
prayed repeatedly to be healed and God hasn’t healed you. That may be a strong
indication that God does not intend to heal you – yet! But never forget that God is able to heal you.
The story of Daniels three young friends,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego has application here. You will remember the story from
Daniel 3 where the three young men are commanded by the king to bow before his image of
gold or be cast into a fiery furnace. Their
response in Daniel 3:17-18 is a classic statement of faith. “If that is the case, our
God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us your hand, O King. (18) But if
not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods nor will we worship
the gold image which you have set up.”
We have lay hold on
the fact that God is able to heal us of our chronic illness and indeed he may heal us. But
if He doesn’t, we will submit to his will and say, “Yes,
Lord!”
We must submit to God In Our Illness and…
Third we need to Serve God Through Our Illness
Many individuals who
have done wonderful works for God did so in spite of physical problems. Timothy, Paul
protégé was obviously sick quite a bit thus Paul’s advise to him concerning his “frequent illness”
(1 Tim. 5:23) yet, Timothy went on with his work for God. Paul, himself, will battle his
“thorn in the flesh” for the remainder of his life, yet he was used mighty of
God.
Charles Spurgeon, the
great preacher of the 19th century, was called “the prince of preachers.”
His physical ailments confined him to his bed for weeks at a time. And although he only
lived to be 57 years old he accomplished more than many who live twice as long.