I am not a fan of social media. This luring distraction has the power to suck me in, and I find myself wasting precious time looking at what other people are doing or reading articles often filled with fear-bearing news. But every so often, when I am at a doctor’s office or waiting to pick up my daughter from school, Twitter and Facebook keep me company.
During the pandemic, I came across several posts about the fantastic things certain people were accomplishing.
Someone on Twitter felt God’s calling to write her first book. Another person on Instagram shared about her body transformation. Then, there were numerous posts about marriages being strengthened and family relations restored during this most challenging time.
While reading some of these posts, I would sometimes feel discouraged. “Why don’t I feel the same motivation?” I would ask myself. At other times, I’d be more gracious and laugh at myself. Yep. I had a body transformation too. Ten pounds worth of boredom and emotional eating can attest to that.
I don’t admit this proudly, but the pandemic did not bring out the best in me. It was a time of many changes in our household, some of which list as two of the five top stressors a person can experience:
We moved to a new house after 20 years, and even though this was a huge blessing, it surely incurred uninvited stress.
Menopause hit me like a boulder this past year, causing unwelcoming, distracting changes in my mind and body.
Our oldest daughter’s transition to adulthood and starting college brought about challenges and changes that this momma did not expect.
I started a new job, and even though it is another huge blessing, it brought about all the well-known pressures that a new career creates.
And then, there is the church issue. Our beloved church of 20 years remained closed for eleven months and had a pastoral transition. We started attending a new church, and even though the new congregation is terrific, we naturally don’t know many people there yet, so the sense of community is missing.
Indeed, the pandemic did not create a significant spiritual awakening in me. Instead, it exposed and highlighted some of my weaknesses.
I was reading the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church when I came across a famous verse in the twelfth chapter:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
This conclusion follows Paul’s confession of a weakness that he bore, and which he implored God to remove:
“For this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself.”
There have been various debates on the nature of Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Some scholars believe it could have been a temptation; however, I am prone to believe that, due to other passages of scriptures where Paul mentions his bodily ailments, it was most likely a physical illness - possibly slowly making him lose his vision.
Regardless of the nature of his “thorn,” there are several things that we learn from Paul’s conclusions and revelations about this weakness: the “thorn” was allowed by God; it kept the apostle humble; it shows us that unanswered prayers do not mean God is not listening; it caused Paul to depend on God alone for strength, and, finally, it taught this mighty saint a facet of God’s grace he could never otherwise have experienced.
As I think about the trials I’ve faced or times when a “thorn in the flesh” threatened to steal my peace, I cannot help but realize in retrospect that these were also times when God planted seeds of spiritual growth.
During those times, I realize how weak my heart and mind can be without God’s strength. It is then that I appreciate his grace, goodness and forgiveness the most. It is then that his omnipotence shines the brightest.
Maybe you are like me. Maybe the pandemic did not bring a great spiritual awakening in your life. You may have found yourself filling the hole or anxieties in your life with food or any other temporary pleasure. Today, rather than discouraged and self-loathing, let us take a moment to thank God for his grace and power, which are evermore excellent in our weaknesses.
And as a new day dawns and we lean on God for guidance and strength, like the apostle Paul, let us trust that God will help us overcome and flourish, despite any thorn in the flesh.
Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, blogger and international speaker. Visit her website www.soaringwithHim.com to learn about her speaking ministry, Bible studies and book. For speaking engagements and comments, email pholbrook@soaringwithHim.com
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