DAVID FRAMPTON
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
This section is a record of a situation about which Paul prayed. We are not told the words that he prayed, but we are told God’s answer and Paul’s response to that answer. We are thus given a different type of model in this section. It is not a certain form of words, but a window through which we may view how we may approach our Father in heaven in life’s tough times.
1.The occasion of his prayers — the “thorn” in his flesh.
[1] God’s purpose in the thorn. We need to regain the understanding of God’s active involvement in our lives. He is not a “spectator”, but a “coach” with great powers, who can personally participate in the “game of life”. God does not just hang around waiting for our summons when we stumble into difficulty. He is already intimately involved in the situation.
(1)Since Paul had received very great revelations, it was necessary for God to act to suppress Paul’s pride.
{1} God is faithful; he will not allow us to be tempted beyond our capacities. (1 Cor 10:13) His faithfulness and wisdom require him to act in a way that suits our present condition and meets our current life situation. He will act to meet his goal for us. Rm 8:29
{2} We should not assume that Paul knew/understood his tendency to pride before he prayed. Our hearts (inner self) is still infected by sin’s deceitfulness (Heb 3:13), and often we don’t realize the evil tendencies of remaining sin that are latent within us.
{3} Great spiritual blessings or gifts do not immunize a saint from testing. They may indicate that the saint will experience hardship.
Illus.: Peter, Mt 16:13-17:8.
{4} God’s solution did not involve some spiritual “secret” for a victorious life. Instead, it apparently involved affliction for Paul’s body.
Point: We must never forget that we are soul and body, and that our spiritual life is affected by both parts of our being.
[2] The nature of the “thorn”.
(1) It seems best to identify “flesh” with his physical body in this context. The meaning of “flesh” as the “sinful tendency/principle” is hard to explain. How would a thorn in his remaining sin cause him difficulty, since it would be causing the sin principle to hurt (like a thorn in the skin causes the skin to hurt)?
[Unless one argued that the thorn actually stirred up indwelling sin to increased activity.] On the other hand, it seems easier to understand how bodily affliction would cause Paul to cry out for deliverance.
(2) The exact meaning is left unspecified. If it was necessary for us to know, God would have revealed it to us. As it is, believers in various afflictions are able to identify with Paul, and not despise his suffering (like, “Paul may have hurt, but it was not as much as I suffer.”)
Illus.: The sufferings of highly regarded fellow servants, like Spurgeon and Calvin.
(3) This “thorn” was inflicted through the agency of Satan.
{1} The adversary obviously intended no good in this affliction, since he is a destroyer. From his point of view, it was an opportunity to hinder the spread of the gospel through Paul’s weakness, and perhaps even to induce him to spiritual preoccupation with his pain.
{2} The Lord uses sinful agents to accomplish his purposes in a sinful world; however, God’s purpose and the purpose of evil agents differ completely. See Gen 50:20; Is 10:5-7; Ac 2:23; etc.
{3} Satan could only act against Paul with the Lord’s permission, as in the case of Job. If it was not for our good and his glory, he would not permit it to occur.
Point: We must have confident faith in God’s wisdom, for sometimes that is all we can see.
[2] Paul’s pain — “to torment me”.
(1) Since we don’t know the exact aliment, we cannot speculate on how much he suffered. Evidently Paul thought it was severe!
(2) It is very natural to desire to be free from pain. It causes discomfort; it distracts the mind; it hinders one from leading a productive life. No one in their right mind wants to hurt. Yet pain can be useful, like the pain that tells you to get your hand out of the fire. God has given us the desire to avoid pain as a means in our self-preservation.
(3) The difficulty in our desire to avoid pain is when we put our desire to be painfree ahead of our desire for God, his kingdom and his righteousness. Mt 6:33
(4) Paul’s pain moved him to plead three times with the Lord Jesus for its removal. Pain can cause intense desire to be free from its suffering, but we must not allow that de-sire to gain the dominant position in our hearts. We must not change a legitimate desire into a demand that we try to force God to meet.
2.The extent of Paul’s prayers — “three times”.
[1] We cannot make Paul’s experience a law for our lives. He does not lay down a command that limits us to praying three times about a matter. He is telling us what the Lord told him after he had prayed three times.
Question: How often then should we pray about something that concerns us?
Answer: The Bible sets no limits, but instead commends perseverance in prayer. Is 62:7; Lk 11:8; 18:7. However, it also condemns empty repetition. Mt 6:7-8. As long as your soul is consciously seeking the Lord in humble faith, pray.
[2] Paul did not gain an answer immediately. He only received one after he had prayed three times. So let us not demand immediate answers.
3.The answer received.
[1] To what Paul prayed for: “No.” Although we may not like this answer, God is not obligated to meet our every wish and whim. God gives good gifts to his children. Mt 7:9-11. We sometimes (how often?) ask for bad things, though we might think from our limited viewpoint that what we want is very good. The prayer of faith is not a demand that God must fulfill. It is a humble request that submits to God’s holy wisdom and infinite goodness.
[2] The Lord was already doing something good in Paul’s life by this thorn. The answer leads Paul beyond the pain to the good and wise design of God in Paul’s suffering. Note well, you will only see that this was good for Paul, if your standard of measure is the holiness of God, but some substitute happiness for holiness. God is always working for the good of his people. Rm 8:28. Many times our sinfulness and finiteness prevent us from recognizing what is truly good in a situation.
[3] Something better was given to Paul: Christ’s grace, the grace that is his as our mediator. Jn 1:16. “A grace that can save a hell-deserving sinner must be sufficient for the petty trials of this life!” [Pink]
Illus.: “Yes, his grace is sufficient for me!” [Spurgeon]
[4] The Lord’s power is supreme. The weakness of afflicted humanity only serves to show the surpassing greatness of his power. The greater the darkness, the more evident the light.
4.Paul’s new attitude in his pain.
[1] Instead of moaning about his weaknesses, he began to boast of them.
[2] Instead of complaining about his various problems, for Christ’s sake (the key phrase), he delights in them.
[3] The paradox of the true Christian life.
(1) The world sees only the benefits of personal strength and the difficulties of personal weakness. This is all they can see because they are dead in sin, and dead people cannot see the glory of God.
(2) Since the believer trusts in the Lord, he can admit to personal weaknesses, and, at the same time, rejoice in the Lord’s strength.
Apply: Are you willing to face and admit your weaknesses and to trust in the Lord for his almighty power?
Application: How can Christ’s power rest on me?
By the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Eph 3:16-17. This is part of our fellowship with him. 2 Cor 13:14; Ph 2:1
1.The operation of the Spirit on the souls of others through our ministry. 1 Cor 2:4; 2 Cor 3:3; 1 Th 1:5
2.The action of the Holy Spirit in killing sin. Rm 8:13; Gal 5:16
3.The working of the Holy Spirit in our endurance of afflictions. 2 Cor 6:3-10
4.The assistance of the Spirit in prayer. Rm 8:26; Eph 2:18; Jude 1:20