2 Corinthians 12:7-10

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. "

1. Why does Paul "boast" in his weakness?

2. What is the context of this passage?

3. Who were the Judiazers and what were they trying to do against Paul?

4. Why does God give Paul this thorn?

5. What was Paul's thorn?

6. Why does God allow thorns in our flesh? What is it's purpose?

7. What thorns are in your life? How are they helping or distracting you?

8. How should we respond to thorns in our flesh?

a. We ought to pray (v. 8)

1. How should we pray?

a. To escape?

b. To endure? (Be stoic)

c. To enlist

2. What is wrong/correct with these ways of praying?

3. Can you be thankful for God's "no's" in your life? Why or Why not? What do you plan to do about it?

b. We ought to see our thorn(s) as a gift from God (v. 7)

1. What is the significance of the phrase, "given to me"?

2. Why didn't Paul rebuke it since it was a "messenger of Satan"?

c. We need to remember that the spiritual is more important than the physical

1. How are you doing spiritually?

2. Are you wasting an opportunity to grow spiritually because you are asking God to remove a thorn from your life?

3. Is transformational, spiritual growth more important to you than removing the thorns in your life?

d. What are some of the spiritual blessings of thorns in Paul's life?

1. It kept Paul humble

2. It kept Paul useful

3. It taught Paul that God's grace is sufficient

a. God's grace sustains

b. God's grace saves

c. God's grace sanctifies

e. Are you experiencing the siginficance of these blessings in your life in the midst of your thorns?

9. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Why not ask Him into your life today? Click here for more info