Relational Thorns

As we’ve seen, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul may be talking about painful people in his circle of friends and acquaintances. He calls the false apostles -deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christin 2 Corinthians 11:13. And in 2 Timothy 4:9-18 he talks about Alexander who did him a great deal of harm, and mentions the agony of being abandoned by some of his closest friends. He says everyone deserted me(v. 16) and that the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack(v. 18). Can you feel his relational pain?

To what extent do you resonate with that pain?

As I surveyed friends about their painful thorns, some referred to a relational breakdown in marriage, business, and family. One friend talked about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and commented, “Some people who have written about their experience with CFS talk about levels of pain. But the deepest level of pain is relational—how people treat me. The worst is to be told it’s all in my head.”

Relational breakdown is on par for us humans. It was for Job. He calls his friends miserable comforters (Job 16:2)

In Psalm 55, King David refers to the agony of betrayal. He could have handled the betrayal if it had been an enemy who had made his life so miserable. He eloquently refers to the breakdown this way: But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my closest friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God as we walked about the worshippers(vv. 13-14).

Are you in the crucible of relational pain at present? Then accept the abundant grace of Christ who knows all about your pain. He suffers with you.

He was misunderstood by his family and friends, and when he was about to die for the sins of the world, two of his closest followers, Judas and Peter, betrayed and denied him. As if that wasn’t enough, he was, on the Cross, abandoned by his Father.

When you suffer relationally, he is literally alongside you, as he was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19-27).

• What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through these Scriptures and this devotional?
• Write out, or express a prayer response, or consider saying this prayer:

Lord Jesus,

I need your more than adequate grace today,

as I deal with relational pain in my life.

I sense you are really near me.

To know that you feel the relational pain in my life is my ultimate comfort.

Thank you.

Amen.

Excerpts from The Point of Your Thorns: Finding Purpose in Your Pain

by Rowland Forman