GRACE FOR THORNS (22 OF 23)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-13
This content is part of a series.
Title: Grace for Thorns (22 of 23)
Series: Suffer with Purpose
Author: Keith Krell
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:1-13
I don't know about you, but there are many things I don't like about myself-a whole lot! I don't have time to talk about all of them since I only have forty-five minutes to preach. But I do have time to talk about one. I have thin skin. I'm not referring to my temperament. After all, I'm a pastor. I have to be emotionally strong. I get regular opportunities to learn to be tough and handle criticism! I assure you that people feel the confidence to correct my sermon content and criticize my wardrobe style-or lack thereof. People can be offended by me if I've forgotten their name even if I only met them once a year ago! Trust me, I'm regularly given opportunities to grow thick skin emotionally and mentally.
But what I'm referring to instead is LITERAL. I literally have thin skin. My parents passed down this trait to me. I regularly get bruises and cuts. I can nick my arm on a cupboard and tear flesh! Sometimes, I look down and am bleeding, and I don't even know from whence it came. I have no recollection of bumping myself. The worst is when I bang my shin! I can immediately have a goose egg, bruising, AND blood!
I've called my thin skin a "thorn in the flesh." But this malady is relatively harmless, a minor inconvenience. I can get a Band-Aid or slap on some ice and in a few hours or days, I'm no worse for wear. Truth be told, I have other far more significant thorns that I've asked God to remove. (These I WON'T share with you.) But, unfortunately, God hasn't always answered my prayers to remove them.
When I say, "thorn in the flesh," what immediately comes to your mind? Failing sight? Deafness? Migraines? Bad back? Bad knees? An unending skin condition? Chronic pain? It's easy to ask, "God, why haven't You removed this thorn from my life?" But the real question is: "God, why did You bring this thorn into my life? The apostle Paul answers ...
Series: Suffer with Purpose
Author: Keith Krell
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:1-13
I don't know about you, but there are many things I don't like about myself-a whole lot! I don't have time to talk about all of them since I only have forty-five minutes to preach. But I do have time to talk about one. I have thin skin. I'm not referring to my temperament. After all, I'm a pastor. I have to be emotionally strong. I get regular opportunities to learn to be tough and handle criticism! I assure you that people feel the confidence to correct my sermon content and criticize my wardrobe style-or lack thereof. People can be offended by me if I've forgotten their name even if I only met them once a year ago! Trust me, I'm regularly given opportunities to grow thick skin emotionally and mentally.
But what I'm referring to instead is LITERAL. I literally have thin skin. My parents passed down this trait to me. I regularly get bruises and cuts. I can nick my arm on a cupboard and tear flesh! Sometimes, I look down and am bleeding, and I don't even know from whence it came. I have no recollection of bumping myself. The worst is when I bang my shin! I can immediately have a goose egg, bruising, AND blood!
I've called my thin skin a "thorn in the flesh." But this malady is relatively harmless, a minor inconvenience. I can get a Band-Aid or slap on some ice and in a few hours or days, I'm no worse for wear. Truth be told, I have other far more significant thorns that I've asked God to remove. (These I WON'T share with you.) But, unfortunately, God hasn't always answered my prayers to remove them.
When I say, "thorn in the flesh," what immediately comes to your mind? Failing sight? Deafness? Migraines? Bad back? Bad knees? An unending skin condition? Chronic pain? It's easy to ask, "God, why haven't You removed this thorn from my life?" But the real question is: "God, why did You bring this thorn into my life? The apostle Paul answers ...
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