We must all face suffering and hardship in life. In fact, Jesus promised that we would encounter trials: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). So the question is not whether we will suffer, but rather how we deal with the problems we will face.
Will they take us away from God, or will they lead us closer to Him?
Paul’s Thorn of Suffering
Paul describes an experience of extraordinary suffering in his second letter to the Corinthians. Yet instead of causing him to lose faith, his pain vaulted him to a new height of experience of God and life. It also seems to have been a turning point in his ministry, which led him to a new level of power and fruitfulness.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2-3, Paul talks about a “man”—most likely himself—who was caught up to the “third heaven” and “paradise.” He saw and heard incredible things, things that could hardly be expressed in human words or images. But soon after this, he received a “thorn” in his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7).
The thorn was probably some kind of physical ailment, such as an eye disease or malaria. Paul does not give us any details about its exact nature, but it is clear that it caused him intense pain (2 Cor. 12:8). Where did this thorn come from, and what did Paul learn from it?
Suffering is Allowed by God
Paul calls the thorn a messenger of Satan, but if we look more closely, we see that there is more going on here than just the devil (2 Cor. 12:7). Paul does not rebuke Satan for the thorn; instead, he asks God to remove it (2 Cor. 12:8). Moreover, Paul says that the thorn was given to “keep [him] from becoming conceited” (2 Cor. 12:7). Beyond the schemes of the evil one, there seems to be a divine purpose in this whole ordeal.
And so we see that Paul’s experience here is similar to Job’s (Job 1:6-12). God allows Satan to cause suffering, but God remains in complete control of what is happening. In fact, God’s sovereignty over the situation seems to be one of the keys to Paul’s strength, even in the midst of his terrible pain. As Paul cries out to God for help, he knows that God is allowing him to go through this experience for a purpose.
Why would God allow Paul to go through such a difficult experience?
Suffering Humbles Us
Paul says that God allowed this thorn to keep him from becoming conceited. Whatever reasons God may have for allowing suffering in our lives—most of which we will never know—I think we can all agree that suffering has a way of humbling us. It makes us desperate and brings us to our knees as almost nothing else can.
All of this shows the tremendous value God places on humility (Isa. 66:2). In light of Paul’s experience, we could even say that God considers our humility more important than our health. God loves humble people, and he will do whatever he needs to do to produce humility in our lives (1 Peter 5:5).
And yet, despite all the pain that the thorn caused Paul, notice the words he uses to describe his situation. Power, boast, gladly, delight, and strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10). Paul makes it clear that this was not simply a forgettable season of difficulty. It was a life-changing breakthrough moment for him!
Suffering Can Result in New Power and Joy
Paul’s experience with his thorn taught him that suffering can actually produce new strength and satisfaction when we allow it to. Anyone who has experienced suffering knows that it does not usually lead to happiness. The very definition of suffering is that which leads to pain or distress. So how can Paul say that he feels joy and strength as a result of his suffering?
The answer seems to be that when Paul was emptied of his own small strength through suffering, God was free to fill him with his great power and strength from above (2 Cor. 12:9).
Perhaps a helpful illustration of this process is exercise. When we engage in intense physical activity, our muscles are broken down so that they can be rebuilt even stronger. Sometimes exercise is difficult or painful, but we know it is the price we have to pay to become healthy and fit. That is why we do it.
In the same way, we can think of suffering as an exercise for the soul. When we suffer, every aspect of ourselves—especially our pride—is broken down and laid bare. This can sometimes lead to anger and resentment toward God and others. But that is really “wasted” pain: we have experienced the hurt without allowing ourselves to reap its benefits.
Instead, when we suffer “well,” our suffering leads us to cling to Christ more fully. As a result, his power and satisfaction manifest in our lives in new ways.
What Suffering Teaches Us
We have probably all experienced something of this. In all my years of life and ministry, I have never heard anyone say that they learned so much about God during times of comfort and blessing. Rather, most of us know from personal experience that it is during struggles, trials, and difficulties that we learn the most about God and his grace, strength, and faithfulness (Rom. 5:3-5).
This dynamic seems to have become the secret of Paul’s power in life and ministry. We also see this pattern repeated over and over again in the Bible and in the lives of great believers throughout history.
It is only when we are emptied of our own strength and pride that God is free to fill us with his boundless power and his matchless joy. Indeed, Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness, and it is truly when we become weak that we are made strong.
