Dear Christian friends:

A Sunday School teacher had just explained very carefully that God never tempts us; "We are tempted by our own sinful nature," she explained. She added, "God, however, does test us to make us realize our need for him and our dependence on him." One of her students, an eighth grade boy, said, "I know God tests us only to strengthen our faith, but I still think sometimes he overdoes it."

There are times when we are being tested that we also may think that God is overdoing it. We may even think that he has forsaken us and is not concerned about us. However, that is not the case as St. Paul in our text shows so eloquently. He shows that God tests us to show us our weakness and that we need to depend on Him.


Sometimes we are not aware of our weakness and frailty, and so are tempted to trust in ourselves. St. Paul was in danger of boasting and trusting in himself, rather than in God.

In the verses preceding our text St. Paul explains how he had received "surpassingly great revelations" from God. (verses 1-6) He "was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell." Since God had given him the privilege of these great and wonderful visions he could have easily felt superior to other Christians and even the other twelve apostles.

Paul was also a Hebrew of Hebrews, a gifted scholar well versed in the Scriptures, to whom Christ had appeared in person on the road to Damascus, and whom God called and honored as his special apostle to the Gentile nations, giving him great authority and a great measure of his Spirit. So Paul says in our text: "To keep me from becoming conceited ... there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." (verse 7)

We, like St. Paul, may also be tempted to pride and self-sufficiency. Even faithful, long-time Christians may develop a false sense of self-confidence. We may become apathetic and complacent regarding our sanctification. There are Christians who feel that they have it made, and that they do not need to improve and grow in holy living and good works.

So, we may need these "thorns in the flesh" as a wake-up call from God. Martin Luther has this to say about the problem: "Although we do not neglect our duty by acts and deeds, and though we maintain a certain outward discipline, the flesh which we carry about is impure, and we do not realize the greatness of sin and that misery of ours which needs to be removed. To be sure, all our sins are forgiven and covered; but they are not yet driven out of us. And not only the coarse dregs of lust, pride, hatred anger and other evil desires remain in us, but also those more spiritual evils: doubt about God, unbelief, impatience, and grumbling against God.

We indeed do not bother about this corrupt condition of ours nor sigh because of this shameful taint. But God sees it. That is why He tries to cleanse our impure nature, and thinks thus: You are indeed enlightened and baptized, but you still have an evil odor, and your flesh is full of many imperfections. This is why I must cleanse you." (What Luther Says, Volume 1, 41)

We, in our unawareness, may seek to escape this cleansing process which our God lays upon us. Paul pleaded with the Lord three times to remove his thorn in the flesh. (verse 8) We may even think that our thorn in the flesh is a sign of God's anger and wrath. And certainly Satan will encourage us to think that.

But it is not. How could He be angry with us who has given His only Son to die for us? Therefore, although He seems to be angry He really is not. So in our text a messenger of Satan is sent to St. Paul, but this is not in anger. Christ Himself says: "My grace is sufficient for you." (verse 9) In the same way a good father chastens a delinquent son, but not in anger, although it seems to be anger. So we should not be too eager to escape our thorn.

The writer to the Hebrews admonishes us saying, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. Neither be weary of His correction. For whom the Lord loves He chastens and disciplines every son whom He receives." (Hebrews 11:5-6)

So we should not seek to avoid the thorn or despair of it as is told of a certain farmer. When his pastor tried to console him with the teaching that afflictions are a sign of God's love he replied: "I wish that He would love others in this way and not me." (What Luther Says, Volume 1, 33)

This is the lesson St. Paul learned. Even more important than God answering Paul's request to remove his thorn with a yes was for Paul to learn to submit his will to God's and know that his grace is sufficient, even to enable him to accept his thorn in the flesh. By accepting his thorn Paul remained humble and realized how weak he really was and how dependent he was on God's grace. So can we.

The joyful paradox of strength in weakness. The purpose of God's testing us is that we might realize also the joyful paradox of the theology of the cross. The mighty power of God to save is not found in overt displays of majesty and glory, but hidden in a weak, dying man on a cross.

Christ humbled himself even to death on a cross to redeem us, and for that reason he has been highly exalted and given the name above all others. God used the weak things and the despised things of this world to effect his great plan of salvation. God's answer to Paul's cry for help was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (verse 9)

And that is God's answer to us also when we cry to him amidst the thorns. True, no one likes to be "down in the pits," but that's where we meet Jesus face to face, the One who went into the very pits of hell for us. Martin Luther has said: "There is a certain despair of one's own ability which must come about before one is prepared to receive the grace of Christ." When we are at the very bottom, often only then do we really see God's purpose.

In a science laboratory a young student was examining a cocoon inside which a butterfly was straining to get free. In compassion he took a razor blade and carefully cut open the walls of the cocoon so the captive could be released. But to his dismay, he did not see what he had envisioned. Instead he saw an ugly, helpless bug, unable to walk or fly. The butterfly to be died. It had been freed too soon. It had not yet developed enough strength through struggle and growth to be ready for its first glorious flight.

When you are suffering much, when you struggle to be free and ask God to end your agony and release you, are you really ready? Do you question the value and need of testing? Doesn't God in his infinite wisdom know what he is doing in your life?

God promises his sufficient grace to you as he did to St. Paul. Through his Word and Sacraments he sustains our faith and supplies his strength to meet our daily trials. The Word and the Sacraments may seem meager, but the joyful paradox is that God promises to bestow through them the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, a peace that passes understanding and everlasting life.

The assurance we have in Christ's Word sweetens sufferings. Luther says: "If I really recognize my blessings my heart laughs; and if He sends me misfortune, trouble, and danger; I take to thanking Him and say; God be forever praised for chastening me in this way. Formerly I might have thought that God had utterly forsaken me; but now sickness is as welcome to me as health, and a dungeon and prison seem to me as a royal hall. For, since God is a gracious Father to me, all is lovely and precious." (What Luther Says, Volume 1, 37)

God actually gives us the ability through the Word and Sacraments to delight in weakness. He did this for St. Paul. St. Paul says in our text, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (verses 9-10) In the Old Testament both David and Gideon were examples of this.

We, too, are comforted and empowered by knowing that our Lord shared our sufferings, and we rejoice as we follow in his footsteps. Though we are weak, we celebrate our salvation in Christ who gives us the strength as we need it to pass through all trials, even death relying on his grace alone.

Amen.