Soren writes, "It (the past) becomes quieter, it becomes gentle, it becomes sad." The Apostle always remembered who he was before he was called by Jesus. A persecutor of the early Church. He didn't live in the past but neither did he forget it. Soren advises that it is good to not look back too often while on the good path. Neither is it wise to be anxious about the future by looking ahead too often in terms of possibility; it makes time go agonizingly slow. As "anxiety borrows strength from the future." Above all, the Apostle Paul's Thorn in the Flesh "reminds us that the highest life also has its sufferings."

The takeaway is to learn from the past and prepare for the future. Don't live there.

Thralldom is a noun that means "the state of being under the control of another person or being enslaved." Paul's Thorn in the Flesh was something that tethered him to the passing world. But, as a result, he also looked up with the revelation that God was giving him. So, the thorn was used for good as it made Paul not dependent on the world. But, to transcend the allure and the pride of temporality. Adversity can be our friend, building an eternal weight of character. If you can avoid adversity rightly, do so. But, if you cannot, assume God is permitting it for a higher purpose. That you may not know or ever know. Even in glory.

Soren writes of the Apostle Paul's "Thorn In The Flesh" pouring "All of the agony into the brevity of the moment." This episode explores the existence of pain and joy in the same cup. And the more God uses us for His purposes, the more we may suffer.