There’s Purpose in the Thorn

I’ve been walking since this morning, same socks, same shoes and it wasn’t until tonight when I went to prayer walk a different path that I felt a sticker poking me in my sock.

On my second lap, I stopped a short second, felt inside my sock, hoping to find the thorn poking me and nothing... even though I knew it was there.

In my mind I had two thoughts:

1.) Stop, cut my walk short, and sit on the park bench to find the stinking thorn.

Or

2.) Press in, finish my walk with God, and then find the thorn.

As I’m debating in my mind what to do, that’s when God showed me how this past year, when my season changed drastically, causing discomfort...I pressed in.

Just as Paul was given a thorn, I believe to keep him centered, God gave me a thorn...and maybe you are thinking of your thorn right now.

I pleaded like Paul, but God did not remove the thorn...and there’s purpose in that.

There’s purpose in the thorn.

The thorn was not meant to stop me but advance me in my God given purpose. I didn’t see that then, but I see now after holding this little thorn that caused so much discomfort this evening.

God had to allow discomfort in my life or how else would I change with the season. I wouldn’t. I’d stay stuck.

He needed me to reform.

This is not a season of restoration or revival, but a season of reformation.

God has stayed the same...His dream for you—SAME.

It’s you He’s reforming.

YOU.

So don’t stop...keep pressing in until you no longer feel the discomfort of the thorn.