Why Isn't God Removing My Struggle?
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.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
We don’t know exactly what the thorn was that Paul was talking about, but we know it caused him a great deal of pain, so much so that he begged God three different times to remove it. However, the thorn was never removed.
From the human perspective, it doesn’t make any sense why God would allow such a hinderance to remain present in Paul’s life. We could make the argument that if the thorn had been removed, Paul could have had a more effective ministry. He could have spread the gospel to more people across the world. More people could have come to know Christ if Paul hadn’t been struggling with this thorn. But God was more concerned with keeping Paul humble and dependent on Him, therefore He allowed the thorn to remain in place.
What if God is not removing your struggles because He wants to keep you more dependent on Him?
If you think about it, we are so quick to realize our need for and dependence on God when we are in the midst of a tough time. When life seems out of control, when we’re searching for answers, or when we need help, we run to the Father as fast as we can. But what about when things are going well? Sadly, when life is good, we think we’re good. We think we can handle everything on our own, and we succumb to our pride, trusting more in ourselves than we do in our Savior.
Trusting in your own judgment and your own ability will eventually lead you to getting hurt. But friend, you can never go wrong with trusting God and His plans for you. He knows what’s best for you, and sometimes, the thing that’s best for you is the very thing you’re trying to pray away.
The great thing about being a follower of Jesus is that He is always with you in every circumstance. Through every struggle, every tough season, every valley, every heartbreak, every painful conversation, and every disappointment, He’s there.
I read a quote the other day that said, “Remember, God didn’t move the Red Sea. He opened it. Just because God hasn’t removed your problem doesn’t mean He won’t provide a way through.”
In other words, God may choose not to remove your thorn just like He chose not to remove Paul’s. But no matter what happens, He will be with you, and He will provide a way for you to get through this tough time. So whatever you’re struggling with, know that your Heavenly Father is in your corner. He’s there to help you, encourage you, support you, and love you through this, no matter how long the struggle lasts.
You will get through this. Trust me. He knows what He’s doing.