THANKS FOR THE THORN [Sat, 11-9-24]

BEYOND WINTER: Irrelevant Musings of An Old Man—THANKS FOR THE THORN [Sat, 11-9-24]

 

My first reaction is the same, every time—irritation, frustration, disgust.

For the last 36 years, my surgically-reduced semi-colon has required me, every day, to stop what I’m doing, with no more than 30 seconds notice, and dash to the toilet. Usually during my early morning hours, my best hours for thinking and writing. When that short notice starts, as I have just ascertained the meaning of the universe but have not yet had time to write it down, I think, Not again! But that is a notice that will not be denied, and by the time I have gotten back to my keyboard, the meaning of life is no longer remembered.

It's my cross to bear. Well, no, it isn’t. It’s not a cross. It’s a blessing. It’s a reminder, of how blessed I am.

It’s similar to the thorn in the apostle Paul’s flesh. [II Corinthians 12:7-9] It certainly started in the same way. I had a pain in my flesh that the surgeon discovered was a tumor penetrating my bowel wall. Had I not had the thorn in the flesh, that sent me to the operating room at midnight on my birthday, I would probably not be alive today.

Paul’s thorn? We’re not sure what it was. He obviously was not speaking of a literal thorn, but it was something—either physical or emotional—that caused him real pain, so much so that he had repeatedly asked God to remove it from him. But God said, “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness.” So, Paul counted his pain as a blessing. It kept him humble, a constant reminder that he was the same as everyone else, that he needed the grace of God.

So, I have learned to ignore that initial frustration and anger at my semi-colon, for interrupting my great thoughts, for I know that it is actually a blessing. For one thing, that semi-colon, although decreased in size and controls, has given me 34 years, when my first oncologist said I’d have only one or two. In those 34 years, I’ve gotten to walk my daughters down the aisle, and play with my grandchildren as they have grown up, and go from 31 years of marriage to 65. And preach the Gospel of Good News. And live it.

There are other thorns we must deal with these days, thorns in the soul as well as the flesh. And yes, my first reaction is still the same, every time—irritation, frustration, disgust. That’s being human. Don’t sweat it if you react that way to your thorn. Just ask God to remove it, and you’ll get the same answer Paul did: “My grace is sufficient for you…”

Go forth in pain, giving thanks for your thorn, to live in love.

John Robert McFarland