When Life Is Hardഉദാഹരണം

Day 5 – Trusting God’s Plan

Story: Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

One of the most complex parts of life is accepting when God does not remove the struggle we desperately want Him to take away. We often pray for relief, healing, or change, and sometimes, the answer we receive is not what we expected.

Paul, who had seen visions of heaven and transported the gospel across nations, also carried what he called a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know exactly what it was, but we know it caused him deep distress. He pleaded with God three times to remove it. Yet God’s answer was not deliverance, but a promise: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Instead of receiving release, Paul received reliance. His weakness became the very place where God’s strength was displayed. What seemed like a hindrance became the platform for Paul to experience God’s grace more deeply. He even reached the point where he could say, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

This reliance doesn’t mean our hardships don’t matter, or that God doesn’t care about our pain. It means that sometimes His greater plan involves allowing us to walk through difficulty to learn dependence, humility, and faith that endures. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things, even our thorns, together for good for those who love Him.

Trusting God’s plan does not always mean understanding it. It means believing His grace will carry us even when He doesn’t give the answer we hoped for. Like Paul, we are invited to discover that God’s power is enough for today.

Reflection Question:

Is there a “thorn” in your life, something you’ve asked God to remove, but it remains? How might God invite you to rely on His strength in the middle of it?

Invitation to Prayer:

Bring your thorn honestly before God today. Instead of only asking Him to remove it, ask Him to reveal His grace and strength through it. Trust Him to work His plan for your good.