Paul's Thorn In the Flesh

PAUL’S THORN IN THE FLESH
 
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice” 2 Corinthians 12:8.
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By George Müller

SO we should spread our matters before God, speaking to Him about EVERYTHING, not merely about great trials, but even about little trials, little difficulties.  This Friend we have in heaven, Whose delight it is to bless us, Who takes pleasure in helping every one of His children.  Oh the blessedness, increasingly to become conscious of the friendship of our heavenly Friend, and of communing with Him every day, and more or less all the day long!
 
          Now we hear the answer: “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE.”  That means, “Thou art My child, and this implies that all My dealings with thee, are the very best dealings that can be, and that thou hast in heaven, a Friend who will never leave nor forsake thee.  Thou hast Me as thy Helper at all times and under all difficulties, and if thou wilt make good use of what thou hast obtained through faith in the Lord Jesus, thou wilt continually have opportunities to glorify Me whatever thy difficulties and trials may be.”
 
          If we enter into what it means to be a partaker of grace, we should at all times and under all circumstances be perfectly satisfied with God’s dealings with us.  Whether joy or sorrow, sickness or health, prosperity or adversity, EVERYTHING, without one single exception, is under the ordering of God and the management of God.  He thus gives us continual opportunities to glorify Him.  And that is the great object of our life being continued to us after our conversion, that every hour of the day we may glorify God in the position and circumstances in which He has been pleased to place us.
 
          And the result ill  be this, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST ALL THE DAY LONG, the cup will be running over, joys of heaven in a goodly measure will be brought into the soul, even now while yet in the body.
 
          Oh, that this were more present to our hearts, inn order that the Church of God might yet more, while at the end of the nineteenth century, arise to glorify God!
 
          And then the word, “FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG.”  Our very weakness gives opportunity for the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to be manifested.  That blessed One never leaves and never forsakes us; the greater our weakness, the nearer He is to manifest His strength; the greater our necessities, the more have we ground to rely on it, that His help is near—that He is not far off—that He will prove Himself still as our Friend.  Oh, what peace, what comfort this gives to the heart!
 
          And this has been my experience for more than 70 years; the greater the trial, the greater the difficulty, the nearer the help of the Lord.  Again and again I have been in the greatest difficulty, but never forsaken of my precious Lord.  Often the appearance was as if I must be overwhelmed, but it never came to it, and it never will come to it, because the precious Lord Jesus Christ never forsakes His people.  The more they need help, the nearer is His help.
 
          MORE PRAYER, MORE FAITH, MORE EXERCISE OF PATIENCE, WILL BRING THE BLESSING.
 
          And as to the future, if yet other trials must come, other difficulties, our business is to have the eye fixed on the Lord Jesus. HE remains our Helper.  HE remains our Lord.  HE will never leave us, never forsake us.  THEREFORE OUR BUSINESS IS JUST TO POUR OUT OUR HEARTS BEFORE HIM, AND HELP, IN HIS OWN TIME AND WAY, IS SURE TO COME.