"This disease is my thorn in the flesh like Paul had, keeping me humble."
How it sounds in your head: Paul was an apostle and even he had to live with his thorn. You're no better than Paul—if God wouldn't remove his affliction, why would He remove yours? Maybe you need this to stay humble. Proud people get healed; humble people endure.
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
-- 3 John 1:2Misinterpretation of 2 Corinthians 12:7 weaponized into a doctrine that God afflicts people to prevent pride, ignoring that Paul's thorn was a messenger of Satan.
You've prayed multiple times for healing and nothing changed, exactly like Paul praying three times. Respected teachers use this passage to explain unanswered prayer, making your suffering feel spiritually noble.
He was crippled from age five, living in Lo Debar (place of no pasture), convinced he deserved nothing. David didn't say 'stay crippled, it keeps you humble'—he RESTORED him to the king's table permanently, giving him all of Saul's land and wealth INSTANTLY.
I REFUSE the lie that God gave me disease to keep me humble. IT IS WRITTEN that the beloved should prosper in ALL things and be in HEALTH. Paul's thorn was a messenger of Satan, and even then God's GRACE was sufficient—grace doesn't maintain the problem, it REMOVES it. IT IS WRITTEN in 1 Peter 2:24 that by His stripes I WAS healed—healing is my inheritance, not sickness. I am under the BARAK blessing where I am the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. Humility comes from knowing I'm righteous by GIFT, not by enduring suffering. I receive complete healing NOW.
Your Father doesn't cripple His children to keep them dependent—He heals them and seats them at His table like Mephibosheth. The robe, ring, and sandals didn't come after the prodigal proved humility; they came the moment he turned toward home, while he still smelled like failure.