Adversity and suffering molded the apostle Paul into the greatest warrior for Jesus Christ the world has ever known. But there were times when adversity took its toll on this rugged warrior. We can sense Paul's hurt and discouragement near the end of his second letter to Timothy. " do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas because he loved this world and has deserted me...at my first defense no one came to my support, everyone has deserted me...do your best to get here before winter "

Do you hear the pain in those words ? Twice he urges Timothy to come to him : " Do your best to come to me quickly" and " Do your best to get here before Winter " . Do you feel his anguish when he twice speaks of being deserted by his friends ?
 

In most of his letters, Paul seems to have an invincible spirit and a hide of steel. Yet he was a man who suffered, felt betrayed, and was sometimes very lonely. However, Paul chose to look at life from a heavenly perspective. Thats why he could write the following :
 
" we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed " ( 2 Cor. 4:8-10 )
 
Paul had experienced a level of adversity and suffering that you and i can hardly imagine. Yet he was not crushed, and he refused to give in to despair. He viewed his life as a continual process of dying. His goal was to live in such a way that the life of Jesus Christ would be revealed in his response to adversity
 
Paul also experienced an ongoing burden that he called a "thorn in his flesh " He asked God three times to remove this problem, and three times God refused. Paul had a great calling in his life. The revelations and faith experiences that God gave him would have been too much for any man's humility. So God, in order to ensure His eternal investment in Paul's life, gave him a thorn in his flesh to help him maintain a humble, godly perspective
 
Has God called you to be one of His great end-time servants ?  Will you be the one to answer His divine calling on your life ? To accept God's blessings and callings in your life will also mean you having to accept the " thorns " that He gives you. It is now 2008 and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ could return for you in the believers rapture anyday now. Live your life each day for that which has eternal value. And accept both the blessings and the thorns that God gives you. Cause soon you will be appearing at the Judgement Seat of Christ. And there you will want to hear Him say to you : " well done , thy good and faithful servant "  !!!
 

have a blessed day,   Gary