Oct 17.97: Light For The Day - "A Thorn"

"... I was given a painful physical ailment (a thorn),
which acts as Satan's messenger to beat me and
keep me from being proud. Three time I prayed to
the Lord about this and asked Him to take it away.
But His answer was: "My grace is all you need,
for My power is greatest when you are weak." 
I am most happy, then, to be proud of my
weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of
Christ's power over me. I am content with
weaknesses, insult, hardships, persecutions,
and difficulties for Christ's sake. 
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
-- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (TEV)
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"A Thorn"

We do not understand that we are to give thanks for
evil in itself, but we may offer praise for the overruling
of it for good. Again, many things that we regard as 
misfortunes are blessings. Trials and crosses are
often among the greatest blessings in disguise, for it
is only through such disciplinary processes that the
character is perfected. 

George Matheson, the well-known blind preacher of
Scotland, now with the Lord, said: "My God, I have
never thanked Thee for my 'thorn!' I have thanked
Thee a thousand times for my roses, but never once
for my 'thorn'; I have been looking forward to a world
where l shall get compensation for my cross, but I
have never thought of my cross as itself a present
glory. Teach me the glory of my cross; teach me the
value of my 'thorn'. Show me that I have climbed to
Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears
have made my rainbow." 

 - C.E.Cowman

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