When Your Miracle Doesn’t Come: Finding Strength in Pain

Life is not always lived on the mountaintop; often, we find ourselves descending into valleys—places of pain, chronic illness, and unanswered prayers. Chronic pain and illness are not just issues for the elderly; they touch every generation, from cancer and heart disease to infertility and life-altering injuries. These valleys are real, and for many, the miracle of healing does not come. Yet, in these moments, we are confronted with a profound tension: we believe God is almighty and good, but we also experience suffering that seems to contradict those truths.

Paul’s experience in 2 Corinthians 12 offers a window into this struggle. For fourteen years, he endured a “thorn in the flesh”—a debilitating, chronic condition. The nature of his suffering is left intentionally vague, allowing all of us to see our own pain reflected in his story. Paul describes his affliction as both a “messenger of Satan” and a gift “given” by God, echoing the story of Job, where Satan’s actions are always under God’s sovereign supervision. This is a hard truth: God allows suffering, but He is never absent or out of control.

There are reasons for these thorns. Sometimes, pain is simply the result of living in a broken world marred by sin. Other times, it is the loving discipline of a good Father, shaping us for holiness. And sometimes, as with Paul, pain is a protection—guarding us from pride or other dangers that could derail our souls. The story of Eric Weihenmayer, the first blind person to climb Mount Everest, reminds us that while we cannot control our suffering, we can control our response. Pain becomes a training ground for strength.

In the valley, our instinct is to cry out for relief, but the deeper invitation is to listen for God’s voice. Paul pleaded with God for healing and received a gentle but firm “no.” Even Jesus, in Gethsemane, received a “no” from the Father. Yet, God’s “no” is never the end; it is always in service of a greater “yes.” For Paul, that “yes” was the sufficiency of God’s grace—grace that does not merely help us get by, but truly satisfies and perfects God’s power in our weakness.

Our pain, then, is not wasted. It becomes a platform—a way to comfort others with the comfort we have received, to serve out of our scars, and to bring glory to God. Like Michael J. Fox, who found purpose in his Parkinson’s, we may come to a place where we would not trade our suffering, because it has become the very means by which God uses us to reach others and display His glory.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Sovereignty in Suffering Even when pain feels like an attack from the enemy, it is never outside of God’s supervision. The “thorn” may be a messenger of Satan, but it is also a gift allowed by God for purposes we may not fully understand. This truth invites us to trust God’s wisdom and sovereignty, even when His ways are mysterious and uncomfortable. [40:45]
• 2. The Threefold Purpose of Pain Pain and chronic illness can arise from living in a fallen world, from God’s loving discipline, or as a protection against greater dangers like pride. Recognizing these layers helps us move beyond simplistic explanations and see that suffering can be both a consequence of brokenness and a tool for spiritual growth. [45:17]
• 3. The Power of a “No” from God When God does not grant the miracle we seek, it is not a sign of His absence or lack of love. Both Paul and Jesus received a “no” to their fervent prayers, but in each case, God’s refusal was in service of a greater “yes”—a deeper experience of grace, or the salvation of many. God’s “no” is always purposeful, never arbitrary. [49:51]
• 4. Grace That Satisfies, Not Just Sustains God’s promise is not merely to help us survive our suffering, but to satisfy us in it. His grace is sufficient—not in the sense of barely enough, but in the sense of being fully satisfying and transformative. In our weakness, God’s power is perfected, and our testimony becomes even more compelling. [54:18]
• 5. Pain as a Platform for Ministry Our scars and struggles are not just personal burdens; they are opportunities to comfort and serve others who walk similar paths. God comforts us in our affliction so that we can comfort others, turning our pain into a platform for ministry and a means of bringing glory to Christ. [56:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:16] - The Reality of Chronic Illness and Pain
• [30:18] - Chronic Suffering Across Generations
• [32:40] - The Tension: God’s Power, Goodness, and Our Pain
• [34:02] - Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
• [36:45] - Understanding the Nature of the Thorn
• [39:22] - The Source and Purpose of Suffering
• [41:24] - Living in a Broken World
• [43:16] - Pain as Discipline and Protection
• [45:17] - Pain as Protection Against Sin
• [47:10] - Responding to Pain: Our Choices
• [47:52] - Pleading with God and Receiving “No”
• [49:51] - Jesus’ Gethsemane and God’s Greater Yes
• [51:49] - The Silence and Nearness of God
• [53:40] - Blessings in the Thorn: Grace That Satisfies
• [56:59] - Pain as a Platform for Ministry
• [58:18] - Sharing Comfort and Testimony
• [59:37] - Finding Purpose in Suffering
• [60:53] - Prayer and Invitation

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV) — > So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observation Questions

1. What does Paul say was the reason he was given a “thorn in the flesh”? (see v.7)
2. How does Paul describe his response to the thorn, and what was God’s answer to his prayers? (see v.8-9)
3. According to the sermon, what are the three possible reasons for pain and suffering in our lives? [[41:24]]
4. What does Paul say about his attitude toward his weaknesses and hardships? (see v.9-10)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God allowed Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” to remain, even after Paul pleaded for it to be taken away? What does this reveal about God’s character and purposes? [[40:45]]
2. The sermon mentions that sometimes God’s “no” is actually a “better yes.” How does this idea challenge or encourage your understanding of unanswered prayer? [[49:51]]
3. In what ways can pain or chronic illness serve as a protection or discipline from God, according to the sermon? [[45:17]]
4. How does God’s promise that “my grace is sufficient for you” go beyond just helping us survive suffering? What does it mean for grace to “satisfy” us? [[54:18]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon said that pain and chronic illness are not just for the elderly, but can touch every generation. Have you or someone close to you experienced a “thorn” like this? How did it affect your faith or view of God? [[30:18]]
2. When you have pleaded with God for relief and the answer was “no” or silence, how did you respond? Looking back, can you see any “better yes” that God was working in your life? [[49:51]]
3. The pastor shared that sometimes pain is a protection against pride or other dangers. Can you think of a time when a hardship kept you from going down a path that might have been harmful? [[45:17]]
4. The sermon talked about listening for God’s voice in the valley, not just crying out for relief. What are some practical ways you can listen for God when you’re in pain or disappointment? [[47:10]]
5. Paul says he will “boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses.” Is there a weakness or struggle in your life that you tend to hide? What would it look like to let God use that as a platform to help or comfort others? [[56:59]]
6. The pastor mentioned Michael J. Fox and others who found purpose in their suffering. Is there a way your own pain or struggle could become a way to serve or encourage someone else? [[59:37]]
7. The sermon said God’s grace is not just enough to get by, but enough to satisfy. What would it look like for you to seek satisfaction in God’s grace, even if your circumstances don’t change? [[54:18]]