Have you ever wondered why such a beautiful flower as the rose has thorns? I always assumed the thorns to be a natural defense, but I didn’t know until recently that they also help the rose plant to retain needed moisture. Every drop of water that falls on the thorns is directed to the rose plant where it will be absorbed through the pores. Amazing, isn’t it?
Paul speaks of a thorn in his flesh in 2 Corinthians 12. We are not told what it was. It could have been a physical, emotional, or spiritual affliction or something else. Whatever it was, we do know it caused him deep pain. He even called it a messenger of Satan to torment him.
Paul begged God three times to take it away from him, but God didn’t. Instead God promised His grace to be enough, because His strength is made perfect in weakness.
We all have thorns of one kind or another. They can be oh, so painful, no matter what form they come in. These thorns in our lives can seem to drain the life out of us. We may plead with God to take them away or to heal us from them. Or to give us the life we long for but can’t have. But God chooses instead to leave these afflictions with us, and that can be devastating.
It can be so hard to understand, can’t it? So often when my heart cries, “Why, God?,” I need to remind myself, “I don’t need to understand, I just need to hold Your hand.”
Even when we may feel like God has abandoned us, He really hasn’t. Because God’s love will always remain steadfast. He has our well-being in mind no matter what. We may beg and beg for things to be different, but the thorns don’t go away. Instead of removing them, He pours in the living water of His sufficient grace that we so desperately need, so the roots of our hearts and lives may grow more deeply into Him and His likeness. So we learn to depend more on Him than on ourselves for sustenance and nurturing.
Satan uses our vulnerabilities to his advantage and he tries his hardest to discourage us. To get us to focus on the thorns in our lives rather than to look up to Jesus and His all-sufficient grace. To Jesus who will always gain the ultimate victory and will never, ever abandon us!
“The enemy would have us so blinded by the pain of the thorn that we can’t see the beauty of the rose garden. I’ve been there so many times… so consumed by the discomfort that won’t go away that I can’t experience what fragrance of grace lies just ahead. Look past the thorn to how Christ is enough in the midst of it. His grace is sufficient for the thorn He chooses not to remove.” ~ Ruth Chou Simons in Gracelaced – Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart
Let’s think about it…
God created the tree where Jesus would be hanged
Where He would suffer and die for us
Where His blood poured out
Because He loves us so
God created the thorns, too,
The very crown of thorns
That was pressed on His head
Beaten until His blood ran down
Because He loves us so
He is our ROSE among our thorns
Because of Him there is grace
Grace that is more than enough
To carry us through in this life
Because He loves us so
“…He must’ve known about the heartbreak long before us
He must’ve known about the mistakes, still He chose us
Planted the tree where He would die
Put thorns down the vine, and then He wore them
And love is the blood red stain, the beauty that the pain exposes
Maybe that’s why God made roses…”
Nature Retreat
“Never lose an opportunity of
seeing anything beautiful,
for beauty is God’s handwriting.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I miss the songbirds in the winter months here in South Dakota, so it’s such a joy to see the birds my brother sees in Arizona. So beautiful! Thank you, John!
“The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
Psalm 118:14
Freed to Fly 
Hi, Trudy! I did try to comment, but my computer said it didn’t take, so I hope I’m not being repetitive here. I just wanted to say how your post today was so extra-special for me since my one word for 2025 is “grace.” I’ve noted some of the words you wrote in my “grace” journal. How delightful!
And you taught me something I didn’t know about the function of thorns on a rose. Wow! And as always, John’s photos blew me away. Thanks for posting them here. Blessings!
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Sorry you couldn’t get through the first time, Martha. I’m so glad you tried again. 🙂 I’m grateful this hit home as it connected with your word! His grace is so indispensable, isn’t it? May the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us in this year!
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Somehow my first comment wasn’t posted! So I’ll try again. I loved this thought dear Trudy:
“but the thorns don’t go away. Instead of removing them, He pours in the living water of His sufficient grace that we so desperately need, so the roots of our hearts and lives may grow more deeply into Him and His likeness. So we learn to depend more on Him than on ourselves for sustenance and nurturing.”
It was just what I needed today during this long extreme cold snap! There is a purpose in the pain, and in the cold too. His grace is sufficient for this day! Blessings, love, and hugs to you dear friend!
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I’m so glad you tried again, Bettie. 🙂 It’s always a joy to hear from you, and I know your chronic condition is a sharp thorn. I’m so grateful God gave you what you needed! We’re having an extreme cold snap here in SD, too. Down to a low of 21 below! Hopefully we’re coming into a warmer spell in the coming days. I hope it for you, too! I am sooo looking forward to the spring! Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too, my friend! May His unfailing love and all-sufficient grace carry us through each day and each moment!
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I didn’t know that the thorns helped retain moisture. It does shine a different light on our own thorns… Thanks for this encouraging word, Trudy! And the Elegant Trogon–just wow!
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The Elegant Trogon photo awes me, too, Lisa. It’s rare to see one, and my brother caught such a beautiful view! I’m glad you’re encouraged. I know you’re hurting so much. Sometimes those hidden thorns are the sharpest, aren’t they? May God give us His continuing more-than-enough grace through this journey of life!
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Your post was full of encouragment. Thanks for sharing thorns help to retain fluids. So there is a purpose for them after all!
I like your line: “Instead of removing them, He pours in the living water of His sufficient grace that we so desperately need, so the roots of our hearts and lives may grow more deeply into Him and His likeness.” I want to retain all the living water I can!
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“I want to retain all the living water I can!” Me, too, Jerralea! We so need His nurturing and sustaining grace! May God pour in us His living water!
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Trudy, I didn’t know that about thorns either … one more example of God’s incredible design work! I’ve been in that spot of pleading for God to remove a thorn that doesn’t go away. Sometimes I’ve been able to look back and see good that came from it somehow, and other times I still don’t know. I love your description of what is happening behind the curtain, so to speak, including how we “learn to depend more on Him than on ourselves for sustenance and nurturing.” Amazing to think that His power is made perfect in our weakness! Love and hugs, dear friend!
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“Sometimes I’ve been able to look back and see good that came from it somehow, and other times I still don’t know.” Thank you for sharing, Lois. It can be difficult to not know, can’t it? I look forward to the day when we will see Jesus face to face and everything will make perfect sense. Then we will see the beautiful design of God’s plan and His wisdom in our lives. Meanwhile He whispers, “Trust Me, My child.” May He give us grace and more grace!
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loved reading this Trudy! I did not know that about the thorn. This part, I need to remind myself, “I don’t need to understand, I just need to hold Your hand.” really spoke to me- as God is showing me my thorns too lately. Thanks for writing this and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through your words to my heart- (all of our hearts) sending hugs your way!
susie
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I’m so grateful you found encouragement here, Susie. I often have to remind myself to let go of my need to understand and just reach out and take hold of Jesus’ loving outstretched hand. He is so patient with us, isn’t He? Sending hugs back to you! May we trust God’s heart for us!
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His grace is everything! Letting go to His sovereign ways keeps us from striving to pull out those thorns that just might be “pouring living water into us.” I hadn’t thought of it that way, and so appreciate your perspective. And the bird picture are absolutely lovely! And I am impressed how well you and your brother know so many types of birds! (This is my second try at posting a comment, so I apologize if 2 show up).
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“His grace is everything!” So true, Lynn! We do often strive to pull out those thorns ourselves, don’t we? Not just beg Him to take them away. Thank you for your thoughts! And the names of the birds are to my brother’s credit. 🙂 Once in a while I challenge myself to find out, but most often he tells me. Even as a child 6 years younger than him, I learned a lot through him, and I still am. 🙂 May we continue to learn to let go of God’s sovereign ways!
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Trudy, this>>“I don’t need to understand, I just need to hold Your hand.” Is so true and a powerful Reminder. I am so moved by your words today.
Thank you so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend.
xo
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I’m so glad that truth touched your heart, Paula. It’s not always so easy to hold His hand and trust Him to lead us, is it? I love your post – “A Different Winter“ – and your encouraging reminder how God is with us in the every day, in the ordinary, and in the winter. May we continue to seek those “grace-filled moments” each and every day!
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Happy March Trudy! Just popping back over to let you know I will be featuring your post at my Sweet Tea & Friend’s March Link Up. Which will be live shortly.
{{Hugs}}
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Thank you, Paula! May the love and grace of Jesus fill our hearts today and every day!
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❤️🤗🌹🌼
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Oh, Trudy! What a precious post! I hold on to certain bloggers’ posts in my inbox until I can sit down and give them my full attention, and you are one of those bloggers. Today was the day God knew I needed this the most. There is so much I want to say. First, the part about the thorns conveying water to the rose just floored me. I have never heard that, but oh, how it ministered to me today! I am so thankful you shared that. Then, applying that fact to the thorns in the flesh that we bear that God never chooses to remove was so edifying. And, the song by Andrew Ripp! My family and I love his music, but somehow, I had never heard this song. I just had to cry when I heard it, and I emailed it to our dear son who is going through some very hard trials. Your brother’s photos are stunning, as always, and were such a blessing. Thank you so much for sharing what God laid on your heart. It was much needed and much appreciated. May He bless you always.
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Isn’t it amazing how God knows just what we need when we need it, Cheryl? I hold onto posts, too, and it’s such a blessing when God prompts me to read one exactly when I need it. That song moves me, too. I hope it helps your son, too. I’m so sorry he’s going through such hard trials. I’m so grateful God blessed you here today. May He bless you aways, too! May He give you and your family strength for each moment!
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