Thorn

I've been taking a break this week from blogging. Mainly, because I felt I needed to back off from the internet world. I want to continue in that, so if I happen to just skip a few days (I will try not to miss Chick Flick Tuesday) please don't panic, my fellow bazillion readers. ;)
There's been much on my mind that I would like to work through...with Jesus of course! It is a bit of a thorn what I've been dealing with and I am hoping it might end soon. I think it is. It was interesting, what I've been learning as I have dealt with this...like I realized that just because I have been going through this it didn't mean I wasn't abiding in Christ. I thought that initially when it occured, that was the case. Like I thought I had shifted my focus off of Him or that I was doing something wrong or sinful. But the more, I prayed and read my Bible, the more the  "thorn" persisted. It would NOT go away. So I figured, "All righty...this is different." I searched the Bible and I found myself reading verses on God's strength...do you realize how many promises are there on God's strength??? SO MANY. Once I realized, how important it was to rely on His Strength, I was able to get through. It hurts but with the pain came the ability to withstand it. This is only by JESUS!! There is no way that I could have been able to deal with this thorn. He is able to deal with it!
An analogy (a poor one) I can give is, imagine you are holding something. Lets say 10 pounds of flour. And someone challenged you to hold it with your arms out for as long as you can. So here you have, your arms held out in front of you holding something that at first, isn't heavy. But then time passes. Your arms get tired...but you got this...and more time passes....now you arms are lagging...what do you do? I would, 1.) Put it down! or 2.) ask someone to hold it with me. I would ask someone stronger to help me hold it. The great thing about Jesus is that not only does He help, He takes the load off. Yeah, the 10 pound of flour is there but He's got it. And you can deal with it because He's got it.
This has been the case with my thorn. I've asked God to take it away...in His goodness, He hasn't. And through this pain, I've realized He is strong and able. And that He cares about me...He longs for me to trust Him and to have more faith. That is the message He has been teaching! Sometimes, I feel like, "Okay...I think this is enough...when will it go???" And I feel the whisper in my heart, "Trust Me."

⁷ 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. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ 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.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (bold emphasis mine)

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30