Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!princeton!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: timh@ide.com (Tim Hoogasian) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Thorn in the flesh Message-ID: Date: 26 Nov 90 01:21:52 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: IDE, San Francisco Lines: 39 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article ASC105@psuvm.psu.edu writes: > >The New Testament verse in 2nd Corinthians 12 is not >clear until you read the Old Testament. I think Paul was refering to >the Old Testament when he used the word "thorn". I don't agree, because Paul refers to his struggle with sin in other areas of his letters ("Who will save me from this body of death?", etc.) Though Paul never tells us specifically what his 'thorn in the flesh' is, in his letter to the Galatians, it would appear that he has some form of eye trouble, since he talks about how (if they could) the Galatians would have gladly taken out their eyes and given them to him. > Is it God's will to heal us? YES! Fair enough, though obviously we're not all healed. And presumably this should account not only for physical healing, but emotional/psychological trauma as well. I certainly agree that by not asking for God to heal us, we are implicitly doubting His desire (and capacity?) to do the job. But it's important to realize that He doesn't always do what we ask, for His own reasons. (If He did, I know many situations in my own life that would be very very very different! ;-( ) > There are things that can block healing, but God is patient with us. Careful that we don't turn this into a "I must be sinning pretty badly, or I don't have enough faith, since He hasn't healed me..." argument. >A person doesn't have to be totally right with God to get healed. I sure wish I knew what the criteria were... (other than just 'His Will') in Him, -- Tim | ARPA: timh@ide.com Hoogasian | UUCP: sun!ide!timh (415) 543-0900 =============================================================================== #define DISCLAIMER "Are you nuts? I don't represent anyone, let alone myself!"