Remove the Thorn

Yesterday my soon to be second grader was hopping around on one foot. At first, I thought he was just being a boy bouncing around and having fun. As time went by, I noticed he wasn't putting any pressure on it. I asked him…Why are you jumping around on one foot???

Well it turns out that he had a sticker in his foot. He was able to remove the big part, but a small thorn still remained in his foot. One he couldn't remove on his own. I had him sit on the couch and show me his foot. I couldn't see anything so I rubbed my hand gently along his foot…Ouch!!!

I couldn't see it in the dim light, but something was definitely there. I turned on my flashlight app and had him hold it up so we could see better. There it was. I tried first to remove it with my fingers. That didn't work. It was going to take the tweezers…Is it gonna hurt???

He was hesitant to let me pull it out since it hurt when I touched it before. Sure jumping on one foot is fun at first, but did he really want to do this the rest of his life? No, and as his mother I knew this. I knew it would hurt as I pulled it out, but I also knew it would heal and the pain would soon cease. Tears flowed with a big…Ouch!!!

It hurt as I pulled that thorn out. I held him in my arms as he cried. He didn't cry long once he realized the pain was finally gone. He could walk again…It doesn't hurt anymore…THANKS, MOM!

What thorn is needing to be removed from your heart?

It can be so easy to remove those thorns on the surface, but what about those thorns that go deep into our hearts? Sometimes we don't even realize they exist. Thorns of bitterness, addiction, fear, doubt, brokenness, unhappiness, loneliness, insecurities, pride, conflict, and the list goes on.

Are you hurting and don't know why…your light is dim? Go to the Word. He will light your path. He will reveal the thorns that pain you. AND He is the one that can remove them.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

When He does remove the thorn. With or without your help. Remember, He knows better. The pain of letting go is only temporary.

"Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5 ESV

Here are 5 things I do to help reveal and remove the thorns that plague me…

1. I meet with God before anyone else.
2. I get into God's Word every day. 
3. I participate in a weekly small-group prayer/Bible study.
4. I write my prayers and record my blessings and answered prayers.
5. I picked a 'theme chapter' to live by and memorize. {My theme verse is Psalm 71}