Roses and Thorns

"I have a thorn in my side
And it hurts sometimes
Reminds me I'm only human
But every tear I cry waters a ground that's dry
And soon the flowers blossom

'Cause roses and thorns grow together
Like a rainbow follows bad weather
Hard times and lonely days will only make me better
'Cause roses and thorns grow together"
- Hillary Weeks

This is just a portion of a song I heard for the first time almost 20 years ago but I've been thinking a lot about it lately.  Perhaps it's because I've been made painfully aware of how incredibly weak I am.  It's at times like these that I try to keep my head up and not get discouraged.  The grace of my Savior is my balm of healing.

The Apostle Paul also had a thorn in his flesh and he prayed over and over to have it removed but to no avail.  Why?  It was this very weakness that kept him in earnest pursuit of a deeper and stronger relationship with His Savior.  He declared, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I pray for the power of Christ to rest upon me.  In my weakness, I will be made whole.