A Thorn in the Side

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 Here is today's communion meditation. 

In the Abundant Life Blueprint our goal is to make other people great, but if this truly becomes a revelation for you there may be some people who are a thorn in your side. These are people who treat you with contempt and disrespect and they are usually people who are close to you. If you look online at the definition of a thorn in the side it says...someone who is a continual source of annoyance and frustration.

In 2 Corinthians 12 the apostle Paul says that because of his surpassingly great revelations he was given a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment him. Notice Paul had a revelation of greatness. People have wondered for years what this was. Was it a person, a sickness, etc? I am convinced that it was a person who was close to him who was a continual source of annoyance and frustration. They were treating him with contempt and disrespect because of his relationship with God.

Paul pleaded with God to remove this thorn but God responded with "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." If you have a thorn in your side God is not going to remove it, but he does give us the grace to love and cherish these people. It is nearly impossible for us to make other people great on our own, it comes by God's grace and his grace is sufficient even in times when someone is a thorn in your side. 

Numbers 12 has another example of this. Moses is being treated with disrespect and contempt by his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron. Moses had been set apart by God to lead the people, but then Miriam and Aaron think they are better than Moses. God gets mad at this and Miriam is inflicted with leprosy which causes her to be disgraced outside of the camp for 7 days. But, Moses prays for her and asks God for her to be restored. When she returns it says the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

Hazeroth means a hedged in thorny place and the Desert of Paran means a beautiful place. 

As we take communion today let it be a reminder and activation that God's grace is sufficient to help us love and cherish people that are treating us with contempt and he can lead us from a hedged in thorny place to a beautiful place. The side of Jesus was pierced so that he could come along side us and lead us from thorns in our side to a beautiful place. 

I am praying for you.

Daniel

P.S. Our goal in the Abundant Life Blueprint is to make each other great. If you would like to partner with us and become part of our community you can learn more here. 

Here is how we do the Daily Communions...

1) Start with the 30 Day Prayer Challenge Prayer

2) Take a few minutes to examine yourself, plan your day with God, and listen. Here are some good questions. 

 Click Here to Create Your Daily Plan and Have Your Plan Emailed to You.

1.  What were your wins over the last 24 hours?
2. Did you have overflowing levels of peace, joy, and confidence in God over the last 24 hours? It is either yes or no. 
3. What do you know to do over the next 24 hours? List little things + things you feel God is prompting.
4. What is the most important thing you feel God is teaching you over the last 24 hour?

3) Meditate on the daily communion teaching for a few minutes.

4) Take communion. At our house we take communion daily and keep a box of matzo crackers and grape juice on hand. 

5) Execute your plan with a good attitude trusting that God is helping you. 

6) The daily videos and audios guide you through this process.