My Illness is Like Paul's Thorn

A common misconception that hinders the intervention of the Holy Spirit in divine healing is the famed 'thorn' of Paul. Some believe this 'thorn' or 'spike' refers to a spirit of infirmity causing his illness. They think Paul prayed for healing, but God refused, stating His grace was sufficient. Thus, we hear beliefs like:

• 'To glorify Christ in me, I must keep my illness.'
• 'I am ill to learn patience.'
• 'I am sick... but His grace is sufficient for me.'
• 'I think I need to understand the lesson God wants to teach me before I am healed.'

We find supposedly biblical excuses to justify non-healing, while Paul's 'thorn' does not refer to illness. I invite you to reject this false belief. Let's see what the Word of God says about the 'thorn' or 'spike.' Let the Word of God interpret itself.

Moses told the Israelites before entering Canaan: Numbers 33:55 - 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will trouble you in the land where you will live.'

Moses used 'thorn' and 'spike' as symbols for people who would become adversaries, not illness. Other biblical references:

Regarding Canaan: Joshua 23:13 - '...they shall be snares and traps for you, whips on your sides and thorns in your eyes...'

In David’s last words: 2 Samuel 23:6 - 'But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.'

Ezekiel about Israel's neighbors: Ezekiel 28:24 - 'No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.'

In Scriptures, 'thorns' or 'spikes' symbolize adversaries, not spirits of infirmity or illness. Paul explicitly states his 'thorn' was due to an 'angel of Satan.' In 2 Corinthians 12:10, he mentions how this angel worked through contemptuous men:

2 Corinthians 12:10 - 'That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'

We must differentiate between trial and illness. Paul's thorn was people influenced by an angel of Satan to insult, slander, and persecute him. Paul prayed for these adversaries of his and the Gospel, but God chose not to remove them. Instead, He promised that His power would be manifested in signs, miracles, and wonders when Paul felt weak against these attacks.

Illness is only destructive. While we may draw closer to God in illness, we don’t need sickness to approach Him. Illness is never a thorn in our flesh. God will never say 'My grace is sufficient for you' if we are ill. On the contrary, Jesus didn’t use illness; He destroyed it on the cross through His death and resurrection.

Jérémy Pothin