Devotion - II Cor. 12:6-10

II Corinthians 12:6-10
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Paul was a very humble man. He tells us here one way that he is kept humble. Our trials, as we have discussed, have many purposes. Here is another one. Paul tells us that he has a "thorn in the flesh". I have been taught that this was possibly an eye problem. I do not believe that. When are referring to someone or something in the middle of a sentence you surround it with commas. Take a look at verse 7 "...a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." The messenger of Satan to buffet me, I believe, is the thorn that Paul is talking about. Paul pretty much prayed for the Devil to leave him a lone. God's answer was no. God's grace would carry him through. People could see God's perfect strength through Paul's life. I am not to the point of Paul, who took pleasure in infirmities, but I do pray that God will be glorified through them.
Back to humility, Paul said his thorn in the flesh humbles him. He says that we are made fools when we boast of ourselves. If we went through life and ministry with no problems and accomplished everything we set out to do we would get pretty full of ourselves. It is human nature. This is just another way that trials are for our good.