On three separate occasions the apostle Paul asked the Lord to take away the thorn that was in his flesh.  Instead of God taking it away, He sustained Paul with sufficient grace.  Through the gift of grace Paul discovered three blessings while walking through the briar patch:

1. A Life of Peace.  Strangely enough, Paul found peace in his problems, help in his hurting, and grace in his groaning.  Speaking in the present- tense voice, the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient.”  What Paul did not realize was that God’s grace had been sufficient the entire time; Paul didn’t realize the grace of God until he needed it the most. 

2. A Life of Praise.  Once Paul understood the sufficiency of God, he began to praise the Lord for the thorn.  Paul said he would “glory in infirmities.”  The very thing that made him cry was now making him rejoice.  This thorn had brought him into the presence of God, and caused him to experience the Lord in ways like never before.

3. A Life of Power.  Most interestingly, Paul said, “When I am weak then am I strong.”  It is only through our weaknesses do we discover the power and strength of Christ.  Paul was a dynamic preacher, teacher and missionary not because of his abilities, but because of his thorn.