2 Corinthians 12:7-8 - ...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.
These words were written by Apostle Paul and for a long time, they made me scratch my head. Why would the Lord send someone or something to "torment" him? Why would such a great servant of God have to repeatedly ask to be free from his tormentor? It's hard for me to believe that this happened to Paul because he was being punished. It's not impossible, just hard to believe. So, we come back to the original question - why the need for the tormentor.
Over time, the Lord kindly opened my eyes to understand a few things. God will give His faithful servants something to endure, a tormentor of sorts. His servants have to rely on His grace to get through. They can't lean on their own understanding or prior experiences. One way the Lord clarified things to me was through an experience from a few years ago.
I was on a trip to a nearby state when a serious rain storm came out of nowhere. It was around 8pm at night and suddenly, visibility was zero. I couldn't see any cars on my sides, ahead or behind me. I turned on my hazards. While I could see a pair of flashing red lights in front of me, because of the amount of rain, I couldn't adequately gauge how far it was. Yet, I couldn't stop as I was on a highway and stopping would have meant an accident. I also couldn't pull over as I wasn't sure whether a car was beside me.
All I could do was keep going, trusting the Lord would bring me through the storm. And, glory to His name, He did.
This is what it means to rely on His grace when a tormentor, a test, or a trial arrives in your life. Don't stop moving with the Lord. Don't stop trusting Him. Definitely don't pull over. Move forward, relying on your Creator.
And this is a reason why God will allow for a tormentor in our lives - to teach us to rely on Him and Him alone. These experiences are never easy, but they are meant to teach us lessons, toughen us up, and equip us to serve Him in some way or another. If we switch our perspective, we'll realize God won't put us through something we are incapable of getting through victoriously. So, if He says you're up for job, you're good! Trusting in Him is the key to get through. I know He's teaching me this and I pray you will receive this message too.
May the Lord continue to help each of us as we deal with the tormentor trying to test us. May His grace remind us that He will never forsake us, no matter the trial we face. For He has promised that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, IJMN, Amen.
Here are some helpful older P&P posts:
Trust God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) June 30, 2020
Being Tested - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 29, 2020
When Things Go Wrong - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) October 13, 2020
Muscle Memory - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 26, 2021
Wait on God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 18, 2021
Viable Seeds - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) June 29, 2021
He is For Me - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 10, 2021
God's Discipline - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 16, 2022
The Tormentor - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) October 7, 2022
From BI- Almighty God, I come to You praying against gun violence. Lord, bind up the wounds of all who suffer from gun violence, those maimed and those that are grieving. Bless them with Your presence and transcending peace. Lord, help us to remember we are all Your children, created in Your image. Bless Your children with the courage to put down weapons and pick up the word of God. Lord Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, make all men, women and children witnesses of truth and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Bless Your children with the strength to not give in to the fear that nothing can be done. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with Your children all over the world IJMN Amen.