SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello, listening friends, and welcome to this broadcast.
亲爱的朋友，你好，欢迎你收听今天的节目，
2. What a joy it is for us to know that you have tuned in once more.
我们非常高兴你再一次来收听。
3. We are drawing near the end of this series of messages.
我们讲的这一系列信息快接近尾声了，
4. We have been talking about the fifteen secrets for positive living as we see them in the life of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians.
我们根据哥林多后书记载的保罗的事迹，讲到积极生活的十五个秘诀。
5. And today, I will share with you the fourteenth secret of positive living.
今天我就要跟你分享，第十四个积极生活的秘诀。
6. And if you have a Bible, please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 1-10.
如果你有圣经的话，请翻到哥林多后书十二章1到10节，
7. We’ll be reading this with you in just a moment.
等一会我们要来看这段经文。
8. But I want to begin by saying that we all face difficulties in life.
首先，我想跟你谈谈，在我们的一生中，免不了都会遭遇困难。
9. We face difficulties when we’re young,
年轻的时候，会遇到困难。
10. and we will face difficulties when we are old.
我们老了，还是会遇到困难。
11. We all meet abrasive people.
我们都会遇到难缠的人。
12. We all experience illness.
我们都会生病。
13. We may face financial hardship.
我们可能遭遇经济上的困境。
14. We may have an unhappy marriage or rebellious children.
我们可能在一段不愉快的婚姻中，也可能孩子很叛逆。
15. We may struggle with a fear of failure or depression.
我们可能害怕失败或忧郁，而不断挣扎。
16. All of us face different obstacles in our lives, and some of these obstacles are painful.
我们每个人的人生中，各有不同的障碍，有些障碍会带来很大的痛苦。
17. Some people read in the Bible this phrase, “a thorn in the flesh.”
有些人看到圣经里说：“肉体上的一根刺”这句话，
18. And they apply that phrase to their own trials in life.
他们就把这句话应用在自己所遇到的，人生中的试炼。
19. But when the Apostle Paul talked about a thorn in the flesh, he was not talking about the normal difficulties of life.
然而，当保罗谈到他肉体上的一根刺时，他不是指日常生活中所遇到的难处。
20. Paul faced more physical suffering than most people will ever experience.
保罗在身体上所受的痛苦，远远超过大多数人所经历的。
21. Paul faced more mental anguish than most people will ever experience.
保罗在精神上所面对的焦虑，也远远超过大多数人所经历的。
22. And yet, Paul did not consider these sufferings as a thorn.
但保罗并没有把这些痛苦当作一根刺。
23. In fact, he lists some of his sufferings in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 24-27.
事实上，在哥林多后书十一章24-27节那里，他列出一张受苦的清单。
24. Let’s read those together.
让我们一起来读哥林多后书十一章24-27节。
[24]被犹太人鞭打五次，每次四十减去一下；
[25]被棍打了三次；被石头打了一次，遇着船坏三次，一昼一夜在深海里。
[26]又屡次行远路，遭江河的危险、盗贼的危险，同族的危险、外邦人的危险、城里的危险、旷野的危险、海中的危险、假弟兄的危险。
[27]受劳碌、受困苦，多次不得睡，又饥又渴，多次不得食，受寒冷，赤身露体。
25. Paul experienced overwhelming obstacles.
保罗面对一连串极大的障碍，
26. But Paul was not referring to these difficulties when he was talking about his thorn in the flesh.
但当保罗谈到他“肉体上的一根刺”时，他并不是指这些困难而言。
27. What did Paul mean when he talked about “thorn in the flesh”?
那么，当保罗说他“肉体上的一根刺”时，到底指的是什么呢？
28. Paul’s thorn was a result of a great blessing from God.
保罗的这根刺，其实是神大大赐福的结果。
29. Paul was highly honored and privileged by God.
神对保罗极其尊重、恩宠，
30. But great honor and privilege can lead to conceit.
但当人被极度尊重和赋予特权时，很容易变得自高自大。
31. So to prevent conceit in Paul’s life, God allowed a thorn in his flesh.
于是，为了避免保罗变得自高自大，神容许一根刺出现在他身上。
32. In the original language, the word ‘flesh’ does not necessarily mean the physical body.
在原文中，“肉体”这个词语，不一定指我们的身体而言。
33. Here in 2 Corinthians, Paul uses the word ‘flesh’ to mean his inner being.
在哥林多后书这里，保罗使用“肉体”这个词，指的是，他内在的心灵。
34. Whatever type of thorn that Paul experienced, his pain was very real.
不论保罗经历的刺是什么，那种痛苦是真实切身的。
35. My listening friend, let me ask you this.
亲爱的朋友，请问，
36. Have you ever experienced something so painful that you kept it hidden?
你有没有经历过一些很大的痛苦，到一个地步，你把它深藏于内心，不说出来的？
37. That pain was so deep that most people around you did not know it was there.
你把这痛苦埋藏在深处，以至于你身边的人都不知道你有痛苦。
38. Yet that pain would be with you wherever you go.
但这痛苦却到处跟着你，
39. The pain would constantly torment you.
不断地折磨着你，
40. That intense pain is what Paul experienced with the thorn in the flesh.
这锥心之痛，就是保罗所经历到的，肉体上的一根刺。
41. Do you have a thorn in your life that God is using to keep you humble—
你生命里，是否也有一根刺，是神用来使你谦卑下来的？
42. something so painful that you can only talk to God about?
刺得你极度痛苦，除了神之外，你无法告诉任何人。
43. How you handle this thorn will lead to either a positive or negative life.
你将有个积极或消极的人生，就在乎你如何处置这根刺了。
44. And this is the fourteenth secret for the power of positive living—
这也是得到积极生活能力的第十四个秘诀：
45. seeing stars instead of scars.
不再看见伤疤，而是看见星星。
46. In this series of messages, we have been learning about the secrets of positive living.
在这一系列的信息中，我们一直在研讨积极生活的秘诀。
47. Today, we will learn about one of the most important secrets in the entire series.
今天，我们要来学习这整个系列中最重要的秘诀。
48. Why is this secret so important?
为什么这么重要呢？
49. Because discovering this secret will give you victory.
因为，发掘了这个秘诀，你就会得胜。
50. Today, we’ll learn how to have happiness instead of sadness in life.
今天，我们要学习人生中如何避免悲哀，而得到快乐。
51. God only allows painful thorns in our lives when everything else has failed.
当其他的方法都起不了作用时，神才允许痛苦的刺在我们生命中出现。
52. If God tried to teach us humility but we continue in arrogance,
如果神要教导我们谦卑的功课，我们却不断地骄傲自大；
53. if God tried to teach us gratitude but we continue in selfishness,
如果神要教导我们存感恩的心，我们却依然自私自利；
54. if God has tried to teach us reverence but we continue to ignore His power,
如果神要教导我们心存敬畏，我们却老是忽视神的大能；
55. then God will use a thorn in our flesh so that we will focus on Him.
神只好放一根刺在我们身上，使我们可以专心仰望祂。
56. Some of you might be asking, “How do I know that I have a thorn?”
可能有人会问：“我怎么知道，我有一根刺呢？”
57. Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul says about the thorn in the flesh.
让我们来看看，使徒保罗怎么说他肉体上的这根刺。
58. In your Bible, turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 12.
请翻开你的圣经，哥林多后书第十二章，
请听我读出哥林多后书第十二章1-10节。
[林后 12:1-林后 12:10]
[1]我自夸固然无益，但我是不得已的。如今我要说到主的显现和启示。
[2]我认得一个在基督里的人，他前十四年被提到第三层天上去；（或在身内，我不知道；或在身外，我也不知道；只有神知道。）
[3]我认得这人；（或在身内，或在身外，我都不知道，只有神知道。）
[4]他被提到乐园里，听见隐秘的言语，是人不可说的。
[5]为这人，我要夸口；但是为我自己，除了我的软弱以外，我并不夸口。
[6]我就是愿意夸口也不算狂，因为我必说实话；只是我禁止不说，恐怕有人把我看高了，过于他在我身上所看见所听见的。
[7]又恐怕我因所得的启示什大，就过于自高，所以有一根刺加在我肉体上，就是撒但的差役要攻击我，免得我过于自高。
[8]为这事，我三次求过主，叫这刺离开我。
[9]他对我说：“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”所以，我更喜欢夸自己的软弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。
[10]我为基督的缘故，就以软弱、凌辱、急难、逼迫、困苦为可喜乐的；因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了。
59. There are two conditions that must exist in order for a person to possibly receive a thorn.
让刺落在一个人身上，需要两个条件：
60. First, that person must be extraordinarily blessed by God.
这个人肯定有神特别丰富的恩赐。
61. This person may be blessed in talent, wealth, or other gifts.
神赐给他出色的才华，经济实力或其他方面的天赋。
62. Secondly, that person has allowed those blessings to make him prideful.
第二，这个人因着他所得到的丰富恩赐，开始骄傲起来。
63. He begins thinking that his success is due to his own strength and not God’s grace.
他开始认为，他的成功是自己努力的结果，而不是靠神的恩典。
64. And this is the heart of why some people receive thorns.
人身上之所以有根刺的核心原因就在此。
65. In 2 Corinthians, Paul describes himself as being greatly privileged by God.
在哥林多后书那里，保罗描述自己受到神特别地恩宠。
66. God gave Paul incredible revelations about heaven.
神向保罗启示，有关天堂的奥秘。
67. Paul saw things so spectacular that he could not verbalize them.
保罗目睹神奇的景象，是无法言喻的。
68. But in order to keep Paul humble, God allowed a thorn in his flesh.
为了让保罗谦卑，神容许一根刺落在他身上。
69. So to qualify for a thorn, you must have these two conditions.
所以，必须具备这两个条件，才有资格得到这根刺。
70. You must first have extraordinary blessings,
首先，你必须得到神极大的恩赐。
71. and you have become prideful over these blessings.
第二，你因这些恩赐而自大。
72. You may be asking, “What type of thorn was in Paul’s flesh?”
你会问，保罗身上的刺是那一类的？
73. We do not know what this thorn was.
我们不知道这根刺是什么。
74. Throughout the years, people have offered numerous theories.
多年来，人们提出各种理论。
75. Some thought that Paul’s thorn was physical illness.
有些人认为，保罗的刺是生理上的疾病。
76. Others said it was headaches or malaria or epilepsy or a disease of the eye.
有些人说是头痛、疟疾、癫痫，或眼睛的毛病。
77. Others have said it perhaps was a speech impediment.
有些人说，可能是口吃的毛病。
78. All of these are possibilities.
这些都是人们推测的可能性。
79. But the truth is that the Scripture does not tell us what Paul’s thorn was.
而圣经并没有告诉我们保罗的刺是什么，这是一个事实。
80. I have a theory that Paul’s thorn was emotional in nature.
我个人的理论是，保罗的刺指的是，他感情方面或精神上的困扰。
81. Why do I say this?
为什么我这样说呢？
82. Paul often endured physical pain through his imprisonment and travel.
保罗在他宣教的旅途或坐牢期间，都经常遭受肉体上的痛苦。
83. Paul tolerated more pain in a few years than some of us would tolerate in a lifetime.
保罗在短短几年中所忍受的痛苦，很可能超过很多人一辈子所受的痛苦。
84. So it is possible that physical pain would not make an effective thorn for Paul.
因此，身体上的痛苦，可能不足以带给保罗一根刺所要达到的目的。
85. And that is why I think Paul’s thorn was an emotional pain.
这就是为什么我认为，保罗的刺是属于精神方面的痛苦。
86. We have seen throughout this series of messages of how Paul’s greatest heartache was the betrayal by his friends.
在这个系列信息中，我们曾经看到保罗最痛心的事，就是众叛亲离。
87. Paul was pained greatly by his friends.
保罗因着朋友背弃他，而深感痛苦。
88. And Paul experienced difficulty in releasing these hurts.
看来，保罗也很难从这痛苦中解脱出来。
89. Can you imagine the pain of rejection by your loved ones because they believed lies about you?
你想想，当你所爱的人宁愿听信谣言而拒绝你，离弃你，那种痛苦是多大啊？
90. Often, the pain of betrayal can be more painful than a physical pain.
通常，被人弃绝的痛苦，比起身体上的痛苦，严重多了。
91. And possibly, this emotional pain was Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
所以，很可能这种精神上的痛苦，就是保罗所说的，肉体上的一根刺。
92. But I also believe that we do not know Paul’s thorn in the flesh because the Holy Spirit deliberately did not want us to know.
但我也相信，我们不会知道保罗肉体上的刺到底是什么，因为，圣灵刻意不让我们知道。
93. Why?
为什么呢？
94. So that all of us could relate to Paul’s thorn in whatever circumstance we’re in.
这样，不论我们身处什么光景，我们都可以跟保罗的刺来认同。
95. Your thorn may be physical pain,
你的刺可能是身体上的病痛，
96. your thorn may be emotional pain,
你的刺可能是精神上的痛苦，
97. your thorn may be a painful relationship,
你的刺可能是一段痛苦的人际关系，
98. your thorn may be financial problems.
你的刺可能是经济方面的困境，
99. Whatever your thorn is, you can look to Paul’s example of how to handle the pain.
不论你的刺是什么，你可以学习保罗的榜样，看他怎样面对他的痛苦。
SECTION B
乙部
1. The problem of a thorn is not the pain itself.
刺的问题不在于痛苦，
2. The problem is learning how to handle the pain in a positive manner.
关键在于，去学习如何以积极的态度面对痛苦。
3. And we can learn from Paul how to turn a painful thorn into a power for positive living.
我们可以向保罗学习，如何将一根痛苦的刺，转变为积极生活的能力。
4. Now don’t misunderstand me, please.
不过，请不要误解我的意思。
5. Paul was not excited about his thorn.
保罗并没有为了他这根刺感到很兴奋，
6. Paul was tormented by his thorn.
保罗深受这根刺的折磨。
7. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 8, he tells us that he begged God to remove the thorn.
在哥林多后书十二章第8节，保罗告诉我们，他求神叫这刺离开他。
8. Three times Paul pleaded with God to remove his thorn.
保罗三次求神，拿走他的刺。
9. But when God did not remove the thorn, Paul changed his attitude.
当神没有拿走他的刺时，保罗就改变了他的心态。
10. He stopped begging God to remove the thorn.
他不再求神除去他的刺。
11. Paul decided to use this thorn as a power for positive living.
保罗决定，使用这根刺，成为他积极生活的力量。
12. In verse 10, Paul said he delights in his weakness.
在第10节那里保罗说，他以自己的软弱为可喜乐的。
13. How did he turn his thorn into a blessing?
他如何转变他的刺为祝福呢？
14. Chapter 12 verse 9 tells us how.
十二章第9节告诉了我们。
15. God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you and My power is made perfect in weakness.”
神告诉保罗说：“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力，是在人的软弱上显得完全。”
16. When Paul heard God’s words, Paul understood his thorn.
当保罗听了神的话，他明了了他身上的刺是怎么回事了。
17. He knew that he was weak, but God is strong.
他明白了，他是软弱的，神是刚强的。
18. And Paul decided not to dwell on his suffering, but to focus on God’s strength.
于是保罗决定，不再停留在自己的痛苦中，却要专注在神的大能上。
19. Paul placed his confidence in God, not himself.
保罗把信心放在神身上，而不是在自己身上。
20. Paul saw his thorn as God working in his life.
保罗看他的刺，就是神在他生命里的作为。
21. And so Paul began to boast about God’s strength instead of his own.
从此，保罗不再夸自己的力量，而是以神的能力夸口。
22. And my listening friend, as we conclude today, we can learn from Paul’s example.
亲爱的朋友，节目就快要结束了，让我们学习保罗的榜样。
23. God may not remove your thorn, but he will give you strength in your weakness.
神不一定会除去你的刺，但祂会在你的软弱中，赐给你力量。
24. And so, my listening friend, do you have a thorn in the flesh?
亲爱的朋友，你肉体上有一根刺吗？
25. Has your thorn caused you deep disappointment in life?
你的刺是否在你人生中，带给你很深的失望呢？
26. Then Paul’s advice to you would be, allow God to use that thorn to display His strength.
那么，保罗会给你忠告说，让神使用你的刺，来彰显祂的能力。
27. Has your thorn caused you emotional suffering?
你的刺带给你精神上的痛苦吗？
28. Then allow God to heal your hurts;
要让神来医治你的心，
29. then allow God’s power to flow through you.
并且，让神的能力穿透你的生命。
30. Whatever your scars may be, let God turn them into stars.
不论你的伤痕是什么，求神将你的伤疤变为星星。
31. Ask God to show you His purpose.
祈求神把祂的目的指示你。
32. Ask God to reveal His power.
祈求神彰显祂的能力。
33. Ask God to fulfill His promises.
祈求神实现祂的应许。
34. Ask God to reveal His glory in your life.
祈求神在你生命中彰显祂的荣耀。
35. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次节目时间再会。
