Problem Solved

Recently I learned of a temporary type of arthritis, called Plant Thorn Synovitis. It is caused by the plant matter that is left in the joint after that joint has been punctured by a thorn.
The joint appears red and swollen, is painful to touch, and is limited in its function. It was such symptoms that drove me to search the 'net for possible cause. 

You see, I had a problem that was painful and limiting, but I didn't want to go to the doctor. I thought it was only a minor thing, I could handle it by myself.  And I didn't want to spend much time or money on obtaining a cure. Besides, I removed the thorn. I thought it would get better on its own.

We encounter similar situations in the spirit realm. Minor irritations that we think will dissipate in time. We distance ourselves from the one who offended us. We don't take the time to find the root of the problem. We don't necessarily want to discuss it with a pastor or counselor. And, we spend time worrying about it but fail to take it to the Lord in prayer.

There is no problem too great for the Master. Likewise, there is no trouble so small that He is not concerned. If He sees when the sparrow falls, how much more does He care about us? We do not have to bear our infirmities alone. But divine intervention rarely comes without an invitation.

Back to the problem with my finger. It didn't just go away. It swelled and festered. I picked at it, squeezed it, cleaned it, and bandaged it. I repeated the process about every four or five days. It would not get well. I asked friends and co-workers had they every seen something like it. I surfed the Internet and found mountains of information. 

Yet, it did not get well until I consulted a doctor. His first words were, "leave it alone. If it is thorn arthritis it will go away in time. If you keep picking at it, you will cause a bigger problem. If it is not plant thorn arthritis, I will need to lance and cauterize it." Well, it must have been something else. I left it alone for the next ten days. It was so sore that I could barely bend it. So, I went to the doctor. He opened it and found a tiny shard of glass. Once removed, it was only a couple of days and my finger was back to normal.

Many people have the tendency to pick and scratch at disorders of the skin. Most of the time that increases the damage and creates worse problems. We do the same thing with our spiritual inconsistencies. If only we would consult the Great Physician from the onset of our discomfort. The intensity and duration of our troubles would be lessened. 

The Apostle Paul found himself with a thorn. It was so troublesome that he prayed three times and asked God to remove it. God did not remove it, but He assured Paul that His grace would be sufficient for him to endure the thorn's presence.

Whatever your thorn, take it to the Lord. He will heal it or give you the grace to endure it. When you depend on Him in your weakness, His glory will be revealed. Let your thorns propel you to minister to others. Let His glory be revealed in and through you, today.