Take it away!

I am tired of the struggle!  Lord please take it away!!!  I have been single for a LONG time and I don't want to be!  I have asked the Lord several times to either bring me a man or take the desire away.  Funny how the human brain works.  Because He hasn't taken it away, surely there is a man out there for me. So let's do the obvious and go look!  Get this show on the road I tell myself.  Where has this gotten me? Into many BAD relationships!  Yes I could do the same again.  I do believe my "picker" has gotten better because of my past mistakes.  But ya know what?  I'm fried from the experiences, from the bad choices, from the good choice that didn't share the same feelings.  So, I go back to God. Begging Him to take the desire away.  Then I read this...

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12: 8,9

Um....
Several thought I have about this scripture.

• Realize that our weaknesses have purpose!  So contrary to the world's humanistic thought.  The world says, "weakness is just weakness...suck it up, push through it and get stronger".  Then there's my favorite, "what doesn't break you makes you stronger".  Wrong!  God uses our weakness to show of HIS strength and ability, not my own.
• Sometimes God doesn't take the struggle away.  While it is thought that Paul's "thorn" was a physical disability, mind thorns are equally debilitating.  I don't think the point in this passage is to stop asking for the thorn to be taken away, I think it is to come to a peaceful place with the thorn still there.  God can take it away at any time.  He tells us to keep asking, but keep moving!
• I guess there is hope for me!  I'll keep writing on this blog, "boasting" about my struggle, so that God's power is shown great.  I believe He has laid it on my heart to do so, I never thought it was to show HIS greatness.  I simply thought it was therapy for me.  :)

I love God's word!  It is the life-spring to my aching soul.  Trust God to know the message you need to hear today.  His word is alive and very personal.  Okay Lord I get it...take it away or show yourself BIG!  :)