A couple of weeks ago, one glorious sunny morning I stopped to pick some blackberries. Ever the opportunist I popped out a bag from my pocket ready to fill…
That night, I woke in the early hours and couldn’t get blackberries out of my mind. Brambles are scruffy, thorny plants yet in their season bear juicy, luscious fruits.
“But what does this mean Lord?” I wondered. “I know it’s you who’s woken me. So what are you saying?”
God showed me how the thorns are there for protection – to stop large mammals chomping up the whole plant and removing any chance the bramble can produce berries again. But they still allow small mammals and birds (and a Susan!) to get in there and eat.
Sustaining life.
When these small animals poo the seeds all over the place new brambles sprout and more blackberries grow.
It’s only because of their thorns blackberry bushes can thrive.
And that’s true of us too. Even when we feel scrawny and thorny (all of us at times, right?) we can produce luscious fruit…
Like the bramble, we may have thorns at different times in our lives. Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7), and while it’s not something he’s pleased to have, he accepts it.
The result?
A fruitful life writing many New Testament letters and influencing millions of lives through the ages.
We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn” was – it doesn’t matter. Thorns come in all shapes and sizes. But whatever yours is I believe it’s essential to protect you, to help you grow and to produce the best fruit.
2 Corinthians 4:10-11 (NIV) says:
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.”
Even if you can’t understand what’s going on in your life right now or why God would let difficult things happen, know this: He loves you and cares for you and you are part of God’s glorious purpose. Your “thorn” may just be what leads other people to Christ.
God bless xx