Matching Thorns
When weakness becomes the meeting place of grace.
A Story of Anxiety and Grace
A dear friend of mine recently shared her story. What began as a battle with insomnia turned into the discovery of a deeper struggle: anxiety. When her medication was suddenly stopped, the buried weight of years came rushing to the surface in the form of a panic attack. She’s a mom, pastor’s wife, nurse, mentor, and follower of Jesus—yet her soul wept under the label of anxiety.
That day, the Lord was kind. Her believing doctor prayed over her by phone and set her on a path of counseling and care. What felt like weakness was actually the beginning of healing.
The Thorn We Share
Two weeks later, she met a young woman in the hospital—homeless, abused, and in the middle of her own anxiety attack. Because of her own struggle, my friend could empathize with compassion. She spent an hour listening, praying, and encouraging her. What the enemy meant for shame, God used as a connection.
Paul called it a thorn in the flesh. My friend and this young woman became “thorn sisters.” Their anxiety didn’t disqualify them—it became the reminder that keeps them leaning solely on the Father.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
False Expectations
Where do all these expectations come from—that believers should “have it all together”?
Many carry the illusion of perfection: not that they are perfect, but that they should be.
That somehow faith should fix us, instantly and permanently.
But God isn’t a fixer—He’s a healer. Healing is deeper than repair.
It is a lifelong process of grace that makes us whole in Him, even as we live in fragile bodies.
Perfectionism tricks us into thinking grace is a limited commodity. We might offer it generously to others, yet withhold it from ourselves, as if we’re the exception. But God’s grace is not measured out sparingly. It is abundant, overflowing, and sufficient for everyone—including you.
Weakness as Invitation
Our thorns are not punishments. They are invitations.
Invitations to depend, to lean, to trust. If we had it all together, why would we need Him?
Paul discovered that strength is found not in being flawless, but in being faithful. Weakness, insults, hardships—all became places where Christ’s power could rest on him. Our thorns remind us of the same truth: when we are weak, then we are strong in Him.
Reflection