What is the difference between a person's cross versus a thorn in the flesh?

[MargaretofCortona]

Please explain to me.

 

[DaveBj]

I see both as figures of speech describing the same concept – opposition by the Other Side, making a struggle out of our advance in sanctification. That opposition can take the form of struggles within our own minds, opposition by other people, or actual spiritual warfare.

 

[De_Maria]

What is the difference between a person’s cross versus a thorn in the flesh?
MargaretofCortona

A person’s cross is that person’s duties. For example, a married person must love their spouse “from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part.” That’s not an easy thing to do. It is their cross. Of course, married couples have many other duties which are not always easy to do. And single people have their own, for example, “honor your father and mother”.

In my opinion, a thorn in the side, is a prayer that is not answered. In the verse where this is mentioned, it says:

2 Corinthians 12:5 About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast,

St. Paul is being coy, here. The person about which he is boasting, is himself. He just revealed that he had been taken, either in a dream or miraculously, up to the third heaven. But he says, he’s not bragging.

except about my weaknesses.

Although he won’t brag about his spiritual gifts. He will mention that God doesn’t always answer his prayers.

6 Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth.

Not that he couldn’t brag about his spiritual gifts, if he wanted to.

But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me

But he doesn’t do so, because he wants people to judge him for himself

7 because of the abundance of the revelations.

And not for the many blessings he receives from God.

Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.

I don’t know what this actually means, I am assuming that he suffers from some illness which he considers a blessing which keeps him from being too proud.

8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,

Notice that he prayed, I should say, implored God three times that he might be cured.

9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.

But, in a word, God said, “No.” Unlike most of the rest of us, God also gave him a reason.

My grace is sufficient for you

You have received more than your share of my blessings

for power is made perfect in weakness

If I gave you everything you asked for, you might become confused as to who works form whom.

Anyway, that’s just my attempt to understand that passage.

I hope that helps.

 

[jcrichton]

Hi, Margaret!

The term “thorn” was used by St. Paul to specify a particular situation/experience; a person’s cross is what Christians experience in their totally of Fellowship:

12:6 If I should decide to boast, I should not be made to look foolish, because I should only be speaking the truth; but I am not going to, in case anyone should begin to think I am better than he can actually see and hear me to be. 12:7 In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! (2 Corinthians)

4:9 But instead, it seems to me, God has put us apostles at the end of his parade, with the men sentenced to death; it is true – we have been put on show in front of the whole universe, angels as well as men. 4:10 Here we are, fools for the sake of Christ, while you are the learned men in Christ; we have no power, but you are influential; you are celebrities, we are nobodies. 4:11 To this day, we go without food and drink and clothes; we are beaten and have no homes; 4:12 we work for our living with our own hands. When we are cursed, we answer with a blessing; when we are hounded, we put up with it; 4:13 we are insulted and we answer politely. We are treated as the offal of the world, still to this day, the scum of the earth. (1 Corinthians)

In the first passage St. Paul speaks to an event that takes place in order to keep him humble; the second passage demonstrate the Christian existence within the world.

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[StarMapp]

My guess. The cross is the day to day trials that we receive from the emulation of Jesus
in his daily life. The thorn is a personal affliction or mortification that God allows us to suffer for our betterment. It could be a habitual temptation we are prone to due to our weakened conscious, a disease, a demonic influence that causes us discomfort of sorts without causing us to be ineffective Christians,or simply a misfortune of nature,etc.