Post-conversion Paul still wasn't perfect. From my perspective, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 is a story about Paul's weakness and limitations to keep him humble. Now, I do think he was pretty close to perfect. This "thorn in the flesh", though Paul doesn't just admit what it is, from all I can see, is some regular sin in his life.
I hear what you're saying. I see the Thorn in the Flesh as some kind of physical pain; some kind of physiological problem. Why? Because of the object of that passage, which is Grace. "We" tend to focus on what Paul's problem was, but we really should be focusing in on what that Grace, or form of Grace, was being conveyed to Him.
The reason for why I tend to go down this path is because I am in constant pain, 24/7. I struggle both physically, but I also struggle with emotional pain over how angry, lost, and confused "christians" are. But to the former, even with all of our modern-day medicines and pain-killers, I struggle with pain and am deeply concerned about my future now that I'm in my mid-fifties. My outlook doesn't look good. So what if this Grace is Circumcision of the Heart?
Exodus 33:19 KJV - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will
be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."
There is no greater Grace than to be redeemed of the Curse that separates us from God.
Colossians 2:11-13 NLT - "When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins."
[If] what I am suggesting is True, then our physical pain is pointing to us that which the Lord views as something as Precious.
Psalm 116:15 KJV - "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
So if these things are True, and if Paul is in physical discomfort (which could have certainly been his eyesight), then to have received the Gracious, Circumcision of Christ is ALL that he needs. For even when he dies, this will be to his gain.
I don't know about you, but I have received this Grace. I have received the Circumcision of Christ and am free of the Law of Sin and Death that compels me to do the will of the Devil. I don't know about you, but I cannot WAIT to die and go to Heaven. Then again, I have felt the Raw, Almighty Power of God, which was Pure Peace and Love, so I KNOW with full assurance of what I am headed into.
I am ready to die . . . right now. I would never take my life, but nothing would make me happier than to get out of this physical world of decay and corruption and live in Pure Peace and Love. I've already tasted it.
