The Thorn

The Thorn

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged Him for one priceless gift that I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, ‘But Lord! this is a thorn! and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift which Thou hast given me.’
He said, ‘My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.’
I took it home, and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace:
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil that hides His face.

~Martha Snell Nicholson

2 Corinthians 12:⁷ And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.
⁸ Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me;
⁹ but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

This is where I belong

I have a new mantra, this is it.

This is where I belong

That is not to say this is where I will always belong, or that things will never change, on the contrary, I can take this mantra with me wherever I go, through changes that might have otherwise frightened or concerned me.

Continuing with last year’s word, “surrender”, and trusting in God’s providence to guide me to where He wants me to be, and knowing as I go, this is where I belong, be it Idaho, Canada, Texas, or Timbuktu.

Whether I am working outside the home, or tending to my vocation inside my home,

with or without seizures,

able to drive, or grounded,

in an apartment, or house, or tent,

hungry or fed,

with or without family, friends, fellowship, or any other thing I thought was necessary for my health, happiness, or contentment.

Today, where I am, right now, with all I posess or don’t,

this is where I belong.