They Coped With Thorns in Their Flesh

“There was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:7.

1. What are some problems facing people today?

ARE you contending with some ongoing trial? If so, you are not alone. In these “critical times hard to deal with,” faithful Christians are coping with bitter opposition, family problems, sickness, financial anxieties, emotional distresses, the loss of loved ones in death, and other challenges. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) In certain lands, the lives of many are threatened by food shortages and wars.

2, 3. What negative attitude may result from the thornlike problems we face, and how might that prove dangerous?

² Such problems can make one feel completely overwhelmed, especially if a number of hardships strike at the same time. Note what Proverbs 24:10 says: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.” Yes, discouragement over our trials can rob us of much-needed strength and can weaken our resolve to endure to the end. How so?

³ Well, discouragement might cause us to lose our objectivity. For example, it is easy for us to blow our hardships out of proportion and to start feeling sorry for ourselves. Some may even cry out to God, “Why are you letting this happen to me?” If such a negative attitude were to take root in a person’s heart, it could erode his joy and confidence. A servant of God could become so discouraged that he might even give up fighting “the fine fight of the faith.”—1 Timothy 6:12.

4, 5. In some cases, how is Satan involved with our problems, yet what confidence may we have?

⁴ Jehovah God certainly does not cause our trials. (James 1:13) Some tests come upon us simply because we are trying to be faithful to him. In fact, all who serve Jehovah make themselves targets of his archenemy, Satan the Devil. In the short time he has left, that wicked “god of this system of things” is trying to make anyone who loves Jehovah give up doing His will. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Satan inflicts as much suffering as he can on the entire association of our brothers around the world. (1 Peter 5:9) Granted, Satan does not directly cause all our problems, but he can exploit the problems we face, seeking to weaken us further.

⁵ No matter how fearsome Satan or his weapons may be, though, we can defeat him! How can we be certain of that? Because Jehovah God fights in our behalf. He has made sure that his servants are not ignorant regarding Satan’s tactics. (2 Corinthians 2:11) In fact, God’s Word tells us much about the trials that afflict true Christians. In the apostle Paul’s case, the Bible used the expression “a thorn in the flesh.” Why? Let us take a look at how God’s Word explains that phrase. Then we will see that we are far from alone in needing Jehovah’s help to triumph over trials.

Why Tests Are Like Thorns

6. What did Paul mean by “a thorn in the flesh,” and what might that thorn have been?

⁶ Paul, having been sorely tried, was inspired to write: “There was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, that I might not be overly exalted.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) What was this thorn in Paul’s flesh? Well, a thorn lodged deep under the skin would certainly be painful. So the metaphor suggests something that caused Paul pain—whether physical, emotional, or both. It may be that Paul suffered from an eye affliction or some other physical infirmity. Or the thorn may have involved those individuals who challenged Paul’s credentials as an apostle and called into question his preaching and teaching work. (2 Corinthians 10:10-12; 11:5, 6, 13) Whatever it was, that thorn remained in place and could not be removed.

7, 8. (a) What does the expression “to keep slapping” indicate? (b) Why is it vital that we cope with any thorns afflicting us now?

⁷ Note that the thorn kept slapping Paul. Interestingly, the Greek verb Paul used here is derived from the word for “knuckles.” That word is used literally at Matthew 26:67 and figuratively at 1 Corinthians 4:11. In those verses, it conveys the idea of being beaten with fists. In view of Satan’s bitter hatred of Jehovah and His servants, we can be sure that the Devil was pleased that a thorn kept on slapping Paul. Today, Satan is just as pleased when we are similarly troubled by a thorn in the flesh.

⁸ Therefore, like Paul, we need to know how to cope with such thorns. Doing so means our very life! Remember, Jehovah wants to prolong our life forever in his new world, where thornlike problems will never beset us again. To help us win this wonderful prize, God has given us many examples in his holy Word, the Bible, showing that his faithful servants have successfully coped with thorns in their flesh. They were ordinary, imperfect people, just as we are. Considering some among this great “cloud of witnesses” may help us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Meditating on what they endured can build our confidence that we can cope with any thorns that Satan may use against us.

The Thorns Afflicting Mephibosheth

9, 10. (a) How did Mephibosheth come to have a thorn in his flesh? (b) What kindness did King David show to Mephibosheth, and how might we imitate David?

⁹ Consider Mephibosheth, the son of David’s friend Jonathan. When Mephibosheth was five years old, news came that his father, Jonathan, and his grandfather, King Saul, had been killed. The boy’s nurse panicked. She “began to carry him . . . , but it came about that as she was running in panic to flee, he then had a fall and was lamed.” (2 Samuel 4:4) This disability must have been quite a thorn for Mephibosheth to endure as he grew up.

¹⁰ Some years later King David, out of his great love for Jonathan, expressed loving-kindness to Mephibosheth. David turned over all of Saul’s property to him and assigned Saul’s attendant Ziba as caretaker of this land. David also told Mephibosheth: ‘You will eat bread at my table constantly.’ (2 Samuel 9:6-10) No doubt David’s loving-kindness was comforting to Mephibosheth and helped to blunt the pain of his disability. What a fine lesson! We too should show kindness to those contending with a thorn in the flesh.

11. What did Ziba claim about Mephibosheth, but how do we know that his claim was a lie? (See footnote.)

¹¹ Later on, Mephibosheth had to contend with another thorn in his flesh. His servant Ziba slandered him before King David, who was then fleeing Jerusalem because of the rebellion of Absalom, David’s son. Ziba said that Mephibosheth had disloyally stayed behind in Jerusalem in the hope of acquiring the kingship for himself.a David believed Ziba’s slander and turned over all of Mephibosheth’s property to that liar!—2 Samuel 16:1-4.

12. How did Mephibosheth react to his situation, and how is he a fine example for us?

¹² However, when Mephibosheth finally met with David, he told the king what had really happened. He had been preparing to join David when Ziba tricked him and volunteered to go in his place. Did David right this wrong? Partially. He divided the property between the two men. Here, then, was another potential thorn in Mephibosheth’s flesh. Was he badly disappointed? Did he protest David’s decision, crying out that it was unfair? No, he humbly acceded to the king’s wishes. He focused on the positive, rejoicing that Israel’s rightful king had returned safely. Mephibosheth truly set a sterling example by enduring disability, slander, and disappointment.—2 Samuel 19:24-30.

Nehemiah Coped With His Trials

13, 14. What thorns did Nehemiah have to endure when he returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem?

¹³ Think of the figurative thorns that Nehemiah endured when he returned to the unwalled city of Jerusalem in the fifth century B.C.E. He found the city to be virtually defenseless, and the repatriated Jews there were disorganized, discouraged, and unclean in the eyes of Jehovah. Even though authorized by King Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah soon learned that his mission was odious to the governors of nearby lands. “It seemed to them something very bad that a man had come to seek something good for the sons of Israel.”—Nehemiah 2:10.

¹⁴ Those foreign opposers did everything in their power to stop Nehemiah’s work. Their threats, lies, slander, intimidation—including the use of spies sent to discourage him—must have been like persistent thorns in his flesh. Did he succumb to the machinations of those enemies? No! He put his full trust in God, not weakening. Thus, when Jerusalem’s walls were finally rebuilt, they provided lasting testimony to Jehovah’s loving support of Nehemiah.—Nehemiah 4:1-12; 6:1-19.

15. What problems among the Jews deeply troubled Nehemiah?

¹⁵ As governor, Nehemiah also had to contend with many problems among God’s people. These difficulties were like thorns that troubled him deeply because they affected the people’s relationship with Jehovah. Wealthy ones were exacting heavy interest, and their poorer brothers, in order to pay debts as well as the Persian tax, had to give up their land and even sell their children into slavery. (Nehemiah 5:1-10) Many Jews were violating the Sabbath and were failing to support the Levites and the temple. Also, some had married “Ashdodite, Ammonite and Moabite wives.” How this pained Nehemiah! But none of these thorns made him quit. Again and again he rose to the occasion as a zealous upholder of God’s righteous laws. Like Nehemiah, may we refuse to allow the unfaithful conduct of others to dissuade us from loyal service to Jehovah.—Nehemiah 13:10-13, 23-27.

Many Other Faithful Ones Coped

16-18. How did family strife beset Isaac and Rebekah, Hannah, David, and Hosea?

¹⁶ The Bible contains many other examples of people who coped with distressing situations that were like thorns. One common source of such thorns was family problems. Esau’s two wives “were a source of bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah,” Esau’s parents. Rebekah even said that she abhorred her life with those wives. (Genesis 26:34, 35; 27:46) Think, too, of Hannah and how her rival wife, Peninnah, “vexed her sorely” because Hannah was barren. Perhaps Hannah suffered this torment frequently in the privacy of their home. Peninnah also publicly vexed her—no doubt before relatives and friends—while the family attended the festival at Shiloh. This was like pushing the thorn deeper into Hannah’s flesh.—1 Samuel 1:4-7.

¹⁷ Contemplate what David endured because of the insane jealousy of his father-in-law, King Saul. To save his own life, David was forced to live in caves in the wilderness of En-gedi, where he had to climb precipitous and dangerous rocky passes. The injustice must have been galling, for he had done nothing bad against Saul. Still, for years David had to live on the run—all of this because of Saul’s jealousy.—1 Samuel 24:14, 15; Proverbs 27:4.

¹⁸ Imagine the family strife that beset the prophet Hosea. His wife became an adulteress. Her immorality must have been like thorns stuck into his heart. And what further anguish he must have suffered when she bore two illegitimate children from her fornication!—Hosea 1:2-9.

19. What persecution afflicted the prophet Micaiah?

¹⁹ Another thorn in the flesh is persecution. Consider the experience of Micaiah the prophet. To see that wicked King Ahab surrounded himself with false prophets and that Ahab believed their blatant lies must have tormented Micaiah’s righteous soul. Then, when Micaiah told Ahab that all those prophets were speaking by “a deceptive spirit,” what did the leader of those frauds do? Why, he “struck Micaiah upon the cheek”! Even worse was Ahab’s reaction to Jehovah’s warning that the campaign to recover Ramoth-gilead was doomed to failure. Ahab ordered that Micaiah be thrown into prison with reduced rations. (1 Kings 22:6, 9, 15-17, 23-28) Remember, too, Jeremiah and the way he was treated by his murderous persecutors.—Jeremiah 20:1-9.

20. What thorns did Naomi have to endure, and how was she rewarded?

²⁰ The loss of loved ones is yet another bitter situation that can be like a thorn in the flesh. Naomi had to endure the painful loss of her husband and her two sons in death. Still feeling those devastating blows, she returned to Bethlehem. She told her friends to call her, not Naomi, but Mara, a name that reflected the bitterness of her experiences. In the end, though, Jehovah rewarded her endurance with a grandson who became a link in the line to the Messiah.—Ruth 1:3-5, 19-21; 4:13-17; Matthew 1:1, 5.

21, 22. How was Job beset by loss, and how did he respond?

²¹ Think of how shocked Job must have been when he heard of the sudden and violent death of his ten dear children, not to mention the loss of all his livestock and his servants. Suddenly, his whole world seemed to collapse! Then, as Job was reeling from these blows, Satan struck him with illness. Job may well have thought that this malignant sickness was going to kill him. His pain became so unbearable that he felt that death would be a relief.—Job 1:13-20; 2:7, 8.

²² As if all of this were not enough, his wife, in her grief and anguish, came to him and cried out: “Curse God and die!” What a thorn this was in his aching flesh! Next, Job’s three companions, instead of comforting him, attacked him with specious reasoning, accusing him of secret sins and holding that this was responsible for his misfortune. Their erroneous arguments shoved the thorns in his flesh deeper and deeper, as it were. Remember, too, that Job did not know why these terrible things were happening to him; nor did he know that his own life was to be spared. Yet, “in all this Job did not sin or ascribe anything improper to God.” (Job 1:22; 2:9, 10; 3:3; 14:13; 30:17) Although beset by many thorns at once, he never gave up his course of integrity. How encouraging!

23. Why were the faithful ones we have discussed able to endure various thorns in the flesh?

²³ The preceding examples by no means represent an exhaustive list. The Bible contains many more. All these faithful servants had to contend with their own figurative thorns. And what a wide variety of problems they faced! Yet, they had something in common. None of them gave up in their service to Jehovah. Despite all their distressing tests, they overcame Satan in the strength that Jehovah provided them. How? The next article will answer this question and show us how we too can cope with anything that is like a thorn in our flesh.

[Footnote]

Coping With “a Thorn in the Flesh”

“My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you.”—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9.

1, 2. (a) Why should we not be puzzled over the fact that we face tests and problems? (b) Why can we be confident in the face of trials?

“ALL those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Why is that so? Because Satan contends that man serves God only for selfish reasons, and he is desperate to prove his point. Jesus once warned his faithful apostles: “Satan has demanded to have you men to sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31) Jesus well knew that God allows Satan to test us by means of painful problems. Of course, that does not mean that every difficulty we face in life springs directly from Satan or his demons. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) But Satan is eager to use any means at his disposal to break our integrity.

² The Bible tells us that we should not be puzzled over our trials. Whatever may befall us, it is neither strange nor unexpected. (1 Peter 4:12) In fact, “the same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the entire association of [our] brothers in the world.” (1 Peter 5:9) Today, Satan is putting extreme pressure on every servant of God. The Devil delights to see us tormented with as many thornlike problems as possible. To that end, he uses his system of things in such a way that it is likely to add to or aggravate any ‘thorns in our flesh.’ (2 Corinthians 12:7) Nonetheless, Satan’s attacks need not break our integrity. Just as Jehovah will “make the way out” for us to endure temptation, he will do the same when we face troubles that are like thorns in our flesh.—1 Corinthians 10:13.

How to Cope With a Thorn

3. How did Jehovah reply when Paul asked him to remove the thorn in his flesh?

³ The apostle Paul begged God to remove the thorn from his flesh. “In this behalf I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me.” What was Jehovah’s reply to Paul’s ardent request? “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you; for my power is being made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8, 9) Let us analyze this response and see how it can help us to cope with any thornlike problems that pain us.

4. In what ways had Paul benefited from Jehovah’s undeserved kindness?

⁴ Notice that God encouraged Paul to appreciate the undeserved kindness that had already been extended to him through Christ. Indeed, Paul had been greatly blessed in many ways. Jehovah lovingly granted him the privilege of discipleship, though he had been a fanatic opposer of Jesus’ followers. (Acts 7:58; 8:3; 9:1-4) Jehovah thereafter kindly gave Paul many thrilling assignments and privileges. The lesson for us is clear. Even in the worst of times, we still have many blessings for which to be grateful. Never should our trials make us forget the abundant goodness of Jehovah.—Psalm 31:19.

5, 6. (a) How did Jehovah teach Paul that divine power is “made perfect in weakness”? (b) How did Paul’s example prove Satan a liar?

⁵ Jehovah’s undeserved kindness proves sufficient in another way. God’s power is more than enough to help us through our trials. (Ephesians 3:20) Jehovah taught Paul that divine power is “made perfect in weakness.” How? He lovingly supplied Paul with all the strength he needed in order to cope with his trial. In turn, Paul’s endurance and his implicit trust in Jehovah revealed to all that God’s power was triumphing in the case of this weak and sinful man. Now consider the effect on the Devil, who claims that men serve God only when life is comfortable and uncomplicated. Paul’s integrity amounted to a slap in the face of that slanderer!

⁶ Here was Paul, Satan’s former ally in his fight against God, an insolent persecutor of Christians, a zealous Pharisee who, no doubt, once enjoyed many comforts of life because he was born into a privileged class. Paul was now serving Jehovah and Christ as “the least of the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:9) As such, he was humbly submitting to the authority of the first-century Christian governing body. And he was enduring faithfully despite his thorn in the flesh. Much to Satan’s chagrin, life’s trials did not cause Paul’s zeal to wane. Never did Paul lose his focus on the hope that he would share in Christ’s heavenly Kingdom. (2 Timothy 2:12; 4:18) No thorn, however painful, could diminish his zeal. May our zeal, likewise, continue strong! By sustaining us through our trials, Jehovah dignifies us with the privilege of helping to prove Satan a liar.—Proverbs 27:11.

Jehovah’s Provisions Vital

7, 8. (a) By what means does Jehovah empower his servants today? (b) Why is daily Bible reading and study so vital to coping with a thorn in our flesh?

⁷ Today, Jehovah empowers faithful Christians by means of his holy spirit, his Word, and our Christian brotherhood. Like the apostle Paul, we can throw our burdens on Jehovah in prayer. (Psalm 55:22) Although God may not remove our trials, he can grant us the wisdom to cope with them, even with those that are especially hard to bear. Jehovah can also supply us with fortitude—giving us “power beyond what is normal”—to help us endure.—2 Corinthians 4:7.

⁸ How do we receive such help? We must diligently study God’s Word, for therein we will find his sure consolations. (Psalm 94:19) In the Bible, we read the poignant words of God’s servants as they begged for divine help. Jehovah’s responses, which often include the use of comforting words, are food for meditation. Study will fortify us so that “the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not that out of ourselves.” Just as we need to eat physical food every day for nourishment and strength, so we must feed on God’s words regularly. Do we do this? If we do, then we will see that our receiving “power beyond what is normal” helps us to endure whatever figurative thorns may afflict us now.

9. How can elders support those coping with problems?

⁹ God-fearing Christian elders can “prove to be like a hiding place from the wind” of distress, “a place of concealment from the rainstorm” of problems. Elders, who want to fit that inspired description, humbly and sincerely ask Jehovah to give them “the tongue of the taught ones” so that they may know how to answer suffering ones with the right words. The words of the elders can be like a gentle rain that cools and comforts our spirit during hard times in life. By speaking “consolingly to the depressed souls,” elders truly support their spiritual brothers and sisters who may be getting weary or downhearted because of some thorn in their flesh.—Isaiah 32:2; 50:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

10, 11. How can God’s servants encourage others who are undergoing severe tests?

¹⁰ All of Jehovah’s servants are part of his united Christian family. Yes, we are “members belonging individually to one another,” and we are “under obligation to love one another.” (Romans 12:5; 1 John 4:11) How do we fulfill this obligation? According to 1 Peter 3:8, we do so by “showing fellow feeling, having brotherly affection, [and being] tenderly compassionate” to all those related to us in the faith. As for those coping with a particularly painful thorn in the flesh, be they young or old, all of us can give them special consideration. How?

¹¹ We should strive to be sensitive to their suffering. If we are callous, cold, or indifferent, we might inadvertently make their suffering worse. Our being aware of their trials ought to move us to be careful in what we say, how we say it, and how we act. Our being positive and encouraging can help to dull some of the sharp pain of whatever thorn is afflicting them. We may thereby prove to be a strengthening aid to them.—Colossians 4:11.

How Some Have Coped Successfully

12-14. (a) What did one Christian do to cope with cancer? (b) How did this woman’s spiritual brothers and sisters support and encourage her?

¹² As we near the end of these last days, the “pangs of distress” are increasing daily. (Matthew 24:8) Thus, trials are likely to afflict everyone on earth, especially Jehovah’s faithful servants, who are seeking to do his will. For example, consider a Christian serving in the full-time ministry. She was diagnosed with cancer and had to have her salivary and lymphatic glands surgically removed. When she and her husband learned that she had this disease, they immediately turned to Jehovah in a long, beseeching prayer. She later said that an unbelievable peace came over them. Still, she endured many ups and downs, especially when coping with the side effects of her treatments.

¹³ To deal with her situation, this sister tried to learn as much as she could about cancer. She consulted with her doctors. In The Watchtower, Awake!, and related Christian publications, she found personal accounts showing how individuals had coped emotionally with this illness. She also read relevant Bible passages showing Jehovah’s ability to sustain his people during difficulties, and other helpful information.

¹⁴ One article on coping with despair cited these wise words: “One isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing.” (Proverbs 18:1) The article therefore gave this advice: “Resist isolation.”a The sister relates: “Many told me they were praying for me; others phoned me. Two elders called regularly to check up on me. I received flowers and loads of cards. Some even prepared meals. Also, many volunteered to take me to my treatments.”

15-17. (a) How did one Christian cope with the difficulties that resulted from accidents? (b) What support did those in the congregation provide?

¹⁵ A longtime servant of Jehovah in New Mexico, U.S.A., was in two automobile accidents. Her neck and shoulders were injured, aggravating an arthritic condition with which she had been coping for over 25 years. She relates: “I had great difficulty holding my head up and carrying anything weighing over five pounds [2 kg]. But fervent prayer to Jehovah has sustained me greatly. So have the articles in The Watchtower that we have studied. One commented on Micah 6:8, noting that being modest in walking with God means knowing one’s limitations. This helped me to appreciate that in spite of my condition, I should not get discouraged, even though the time I spent in the ministry was less than I wished. Serving him with pure motives is primarily what counts.”

¹⁶ She also reports: “The elders always commended me for my efforts to attend the meetings and to go out in the field ministry. Young ones would greet me with a hug. The pioneer ministers were so patient with me and often rearranged their plans on my bad days. When the weather was difficult, they would kindly take me on return visits or invite me to sit in on their Bible studies. And since I could not carry a book bag, other publishers put my literature in their bag when I went out in the preaching work.”

¹⁷ Notice how congregation elders and fellow believers helped these two sisters to cope with their thornlike infirmities. They offered practical, kind assistance designed to meet specific spiritual, physical, and emotional needs. Does that not encourage you to render aid to other brothers and sisters who are experiencing problems? You young ones too can be an aid to those in your congregation who are contending with thorns in their flesh.—Proverbs 20:29.

18. What encouragement may we find in the life stories published in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines?

¹⁸ The Watchtower and Awake! magazines have published many life stories and experiences of Witnesses who have coped, and are still coping, with problems in life. As you regularly read such articles, you will see that many of your spiritual brothers and sisters around the world have endured economic hardships, loss of loved ones in disasters, and dangerous wartime conditions. Others live with incapacitating diseases. Many cannot do some of the simple things in life that healthy ones take for granted. Their illnesses test them most severely, especially when they cannot share in Christian activities as much as they would like. How deeply they appreciate the help and support that their brothers and sisters, young and old, render them!

Endurance Brings Happiness

19. Why was Paul able to rejoice in spite of his thornlike trials and weaknesses?

¹⁹ Paul rejoiced to see how God strengthened him. He said: “Most gladly . . . will I rather boast as respects my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may like a tent remain over me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in cases of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10) Because of his personal experiences, Paul could confidently state: “Not that I am speaking with regard to being in want, for I have learned, in whatever circumstances I am, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to be low on provisions, I know indeed how to have an abundance. In everything and in all circumstances I have learned the secret of both how to be full and how to hunger, both how to have an abundance and how to suffer want. For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.”—Philippians 4:11-13.

20, 21. (a) Why may we find joy in meditating on “things unseen”? (b) What are some “things unseen” that you hope to see in the earthly Paradise?

²⁰ So, then, by enduring whatever figurative thorn is in our flesh, we can find great happiness in showing everyone that Jehovah’s power is being made perfect in our weakness. Paul wrote: “We do not give up . . . Certainly the man we are inside is being renewed from day to day. For though the tribulation is momentary and light, it works out for us a glory that is of more and more surpassing weight and is everlasting; while we keep our eyes . . . on the things unseen. For the things . . . unseen are everlasting.”—2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

²¹ Most of Jehovah’s people today hope to live in his earthly Paradise and to enjoy the blessings he has promised. Such blessings might be considered “unseen” to us today. However, the time is rapidly approaching when we will see those blessings with our own eyes, yes, and enjoy them forever. One such blessing will be the relief of never again having to live with any thornlike problem! God’s Son will “break up the works of the Devil” and “bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death.”—1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14.

22. What confidence and determination should be ours?

²² Therefore, whatever thorn in our flesh is hurting us today, let us keep on coping with it. Like Paul, we will have the strength to do so by virtue of Jehovah, who generously imparts power to us. When we are living in the earthly Paradise, we will bless Jehovah our God every day for all his wonderful doings in our behalf.—Psalm 103:2.

[Footnote]