The Sheer Sweetness of Sticking Thorns: Why I Marvel at God's Chosen Protection
Okay, y'all, let's talk about thorns. Not the pretty rose-bush kind, the scratchy, ouchy, totally-in-the-way kind. We often think of them as curses, right? Something to avoid, a symbol of pain. But lately, I've been seeing them in a whole new light, a divine light, actually. It all started with a particularly brutal bout of yard work…
You see, my backyard is… well, let's just say it's a battleground. I’ve got these overgrown bushes that just LOVE to send out prickly little invaders. I was out there a few weeks ago, wrestling with these stubborn branches, getting scratched and poked left and right, and seriously, feeling pretty frustrated. I kept thinking, “Why do these things even exist?!” And then, like a little whisper, I remembered 2 Corinthians 12:7: "Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. "
Now, Paul wasn’t talking about literal garden thorns, of course, but it got me thinking. He saw his suffering, that painful “thorn,” as a gift from God, something to keep him humble and dependent on Him. This completely flipped my perspective. That day in my backyard, all those painful scratches and pokes, they were a tiny reminder, a mini-lesson in the power of God's chosen protection. I realized that sometimes the things we perceive as negative are actually designed to keep us in check, to prevent us from straying from God’s path.
Think about it – the thorns on a rose bush are there to protect the beautiful flower, right? They keep predators away and preserve its delicate beauty. Maybe, just maybe, those “thorns” in our lives, those annoying struggles, are the same. They’re keeping us from harm, keeping us closer to God.
I’ve started seeing this play out in other ways too. You know how sometimes you get into a groove of pride, maybe feeling a little too good about yourself and your accomplishments? And then BAM, you get a flat tire, or spill coffee all over your new shirt, or completely bungle a presentation at work. These little annoyances can feel so frustrating, but they often snap me right back into focus. It’s like God, in His infinite wisdom, is using those "thorns" to gently nudge me back on track, reminding me that I’m not the one in control, He is.
Even the seemingly more serious struggles, like dealing with difficult relationships, or navigating tough decisions, those can be our “thorns,” keeping us grounded and dependent on God’s guidance. In those moments, we aren’t just being challenged; we are being protected. Think of the Israelites wandering through the desert for forty years. That difficult journey, so full of hardships, was ultimately a time of purification and preparation for their promised land (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). The struggle was not for nothing; it was necessary.
Now, I’m not saying I’m *happy* about getting scratched up in my garden, or that I go around actively looking for things to irritate me. But I am saying that I am trying to be more mindful of the role these “thorns” play in my life. When I’m feeling particularly annoyed by something, I try to take a moment, pray, and ask God to show me what He might be teaching me in that moment. It is changing everything. These aren’t curses, they’re opportunities to see God’s hand at work. They’re a call to lean harder on Him. And isn’t that, ultimately, where we all want to be? Isn't that the sweetest spot to be? Right in the heart of God?
It's something I'm working on, every day. And it’s honestly made even the most annoying daily trials feel a little bit…sweeter.
So, what “thorns” are you experiencing right now? And how might God be using them for your protection and growth?