REDIRECTED NOT REJECTEDSample

The Apostle Paul confessed to having had a thorn in his flesh (a persistent trouble) that he couldn’t shake off. Many theologians hold different views as to what it was: from an eye defect to epileptic seizures; and my work today is not to explain or give my view on it, as everyone seems to hold tangible proof-texts for their assertions; but my goal is to tackle the popular teaching that He asked God thrice, and God said “No”.

Never did we read from him “The Lord said No!” because God did not say that, but we see that the response of the Lord was “Instead.”

Notice first that the messenger was of Satan and not of God, and Paul looked to God for help. Notice also the purpose of God in the situation: prioritizing Paul’s humility, which is of spiritual reward, over his temporal physical comfort. And finally, notice that Paul didn’t say (in verse 9) “But He said unto me...” indicating a denial of his request, rather “And He said unto me...” as His response to Paul’s request.

The Lord was more or less saying to Him: “Instead of you asking me to remove it, which my favour is not on, focus on the sufficient grace I’ve given you to overcome it”.

While Paul is thinking, “If you take it away, I will be alright”, Christ was saying, “If you utilize the grace I have put in you, you will be alright”.

It’s like a Man who desires a new car worth say $10 Million, and is begging his boss “Give me $10 Million, so I can buy the car” and his boss replies “I won’t give you the 10 Million but I will still grant you the car, so you don’t ever have to think you went to the shop to get it yourself”. So then the result that Paul is asking is still worked in Him, because of Christ’s grace that is present, not because the thorn itself became absent.

Paul only understood what Jesus was saying the third time, and that’s why He was excited, as the last verse showed that he had now found a better way to handle his problems.

Does this still seem like a “No!” to His request?

Of course not, the thorn had a purpose: it needed to stay for humility, but God was not going to let it prosper in what Satan sent it for, and hold back His apostle;

This was not a “No,” but an “Instead.”