Porcupine People, Thorns in the Flesh, and Other Prickly Problems

Nearly one year ago, my family and I took in our beloved 86-year old childhood neighbor and friend. I had been trying for a few years prior to this transition to convince her to sell her home and move to a retirement community, but she had been in her house since she was adopted at the age of nine and it was understandably hard for her to leave. Her adopted mother passed away in 1982, and she had no family of her own. Her home was all she had. We eventually learned that the local police had been called to her home quite frequently, so they ultimately reported her to Adult Protective Services. Desiring to do the right thing out of gratitude for her kindness to three generations of our family, we brought her to live with us with the intention of nursing her back to her optimum health, helping to get her affairs in order and determining what the best living arrangements would be at such a time.

We had no idea what we were signing up for when we did.



While I could write volumes alone on our daily adventures with Sophie*, due to her mental status which includes Alzheimer’s, dementia and a low level of schizophrenia, her friend, Kallie* is the porcupine person who prompted this blog post. Kallie has been sabotaging every good thing we try to do for Sophie, and has officially achieved “thorn in the flesh” status with our family. In nearly every aspect of this journey with Sophie, Kallie has successfully caused some level of pricking, poking or irritation for us, and let me not fail to mention the disservice she renders to Sophie by continually planting fear and doubt about virtually everything in her already fragile, fractured mind. As the saying goes, with friends like that…

So, in the midst of this deed, we have been given an adversary who makes it needlessly difficult for us to deal with our little Sophie's mental and physical issues and her constant deceptive interference is beginning to disrupt our household. As a result, my family is gradually becoming Jewish. I know this because we all run around the house at various times exclaiming, Oye!

In contemplating the best way to handle this incessant irritation and interference so that we can do what is right for our friend, I must say, I have received zero answers and even fewer ideas for resolutions. However, I was recently reminded of the age-old lesson the apostle Paul spoke of a couple of millenniums ago. You remember Paul, he's the guy who wrote the majority of the New Testament in the Bible. Well, Paul had this to say about his thorn in the flesh experience:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.**

The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what Paul’s thorn was.

Our thorn, however, has a name and an address.

But I digress.

Let’s break it down.

The Problem

There is much speculation as to exactly what Paul’s thorn was which scholars place under three categories: 1) a physical ailment such as chronic eye problem, epilepsy, or migraines; 2) an ongoing temptation; or 3) incessant opposition groups that rose up to hinder the success of his ministry.

If we bring this matter up to date, we find that our problems are no different. Geography, culture and technology have changed, but the human condition has not. So whether it is a chronic physical ailment, a habitual issue or temptation we cannot seem to overcome, or opposition to whatever we are trying to accomplish, I believe at some point in our lives we can all relate to Paul’s thorn in the flesh problem.

The Purpose

Paul states that the purpose of his thorn was to keep him humble. Paul had a tremendously successful ministry. He had been given tremendous revelation and understanding of God’s word and tremendous opportunity to share it. Any person who experiences success at their vocation or avocation may become vulnerable and succumb to an unhealthy level of haughtiness. Sometimes burdens are divinely ordered to keep us from being lifted up into that unhealthy level of pride. Sometimes they are just simply burdens designed by our adversaries to distract or dissuade us from pressing forward to succeed at the task at hand.

The Petition

Paul tells us that he petitioned the Lord three times for the removal of his thorn. When his prayer was not answered the first time, he petitioned God again and then again. Whether the petition was literally three single instances or symbolic for ongoing petition, we do not know. Regardless of the problem or the purpose, the practice of petitioning for help - whether it is three times or ongoing for three years - trains us in habits of the soul*** which are more important than the virtue or solution we are trying to achieve. So whether the problem is physical, in the order of temptation, or in the form of opposition, when little to no divine help is given, we must continue on and settle for no less than completion of the purpose for which our problem was designed whether it be to grow in humility, courage, or simply strength.

The Proposal

We never do learn whether Paul’s petition for removal of his thorn was ultimately answered before his death. Was he healed of his ailment? Did he overcome his temptation once and for all? We know his adversaries never quieted their opposition to his ministry {{heavy sigh}}, but what he did tell us is this: after his third petition for the removal of his thorn, God did not remove it - at least not in the manner Paul was requesting. Instead, God simply let him know, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are certainly times when a practical answer or solution to a problem would be preferred over a promise or proposal of grace sufficient to endure. This is one of those situations for me. Are you facing a situation where an immediate answer is nowhere to be found and/or a resolution seems impossible? I wish I had an answer for you. I wish you had an answer for me! If you do, please feel free to leave a comment or email me and I'll do the same for you!

The practice of abiding in grace through trials of any kind is a difficult undertaking at times, yet a rewarding one. It certainly energized and strengthened Paul enough to continue on with his mission, and to become one of the most successful, famous and humble men in history.

While the difficulties you and I face today may not seem to be of the same magnitude that Paul faced back then, the principle is still the same: when dealing with an ongoing problem, the wisest and safest place to be is abiding in grace, trusting in grace and receiving daily portions of God's grace which is a very humbling experience. The answers or solutions will come, though perhaps not in the manner we request them. Should we persevere...well... we may just learn a few helpful things about ourselves and our faith along the way!

HAPPY WAITING!

~~Solissea

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The names have been changed to protect the annoying and the innocent.
**Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 TNIV
***C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~