When God made the earth and everything in it, there weren’t any thorns. But after sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, then there were thorns. And from then till now we have had to deal with thorns. Nobody that walks through or works in the fields wants thorns. They are bad. You try to kill them and remove them, but they are still here. Likewise, in the world we have to deal with spiritual thorns in this life, just like Paul had to deal with the spiritual thorn in his flesh [2 Cor 12:7]. The Bible gives us instructions on how to get rid of the thorns in our lives that result from this curse. We must get rid of:
The thorns of sin. In Gen 3:18, thorns began to grow in the ground because of sin and the curse. In Heb 6:8, that which beareth thorns is rejected whose end is to be burned. These thorns are a picture of those who are lost and who are burned in the fires of hell for rejecting Jesus Christ. In 2 Sam 23:6, the sons of Belial are thorns who are thrust away. In Matt 27:29, Jesus wore a platted crown of thorns upon his head, picturing his death as a remedy for sin and the curse. We get rid of the thorns of sin by getting saved. Therefore, you won’t get burned in hell with the other thorns who reject Jesus Christ.
When you get saved, you will be stymied if you don’t get away from these other thorns.
The thorns of sinners. In Num 33:53-55, the Jews were warned about those that they let remain; they would be thorns in their sides. In Jos 23:12-13, these would be thorns in their eyes. Thorns of sinners can come from saved people who are not living for God or lost people. If you don’t separate from these thorns, they will draw you away from the Lord. You cannot imagine the hell most people go through when they are married to a lost person. Also, you can’t imagine how far from God you can get when you get tangled up with the thorns of sinners. You won’t even look like you’re saved.
The thorns of this world. In Mk 4:18-19, the seed sown among thorns becomes unfruitful. The thorns that choke the word are the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, which include the pleasures of this life [Lk 8:14[. These thorns choke the word. A friend of mine wants to be fruitful. However, every time we visit about his desire, he immediately turns the conversation to another business deal. That only is important which is eternal. Cares choke out any effectual work of the word of God. Lusts choke out the word until your life manifests no fruit of the word of God in you.
The thorns of frowardness. In Prov 22:5, thorns and snares are in the way of the froward. The froward are habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition. Look at your life; examine the areas where you are disposed to disobey and oppose God’s words. You have to uproot and kill off these thorns. They don’t go away and God doesn’t pull them for you. He’ll help you identify them and strengthen you in your work against them. But he won’t do the work for you.
The thorns of laziness. In Prov 15:19, the way of the slothful is as an hedge of thorns. See Prov 24:31. If you knock out thorns in a field, they come back, if you aren’t working the land. Likewise, the thorns of laziness flourish if you are not actively working for the Lord. You are saved unto good works. Look at Eph 2:10; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14. In 2 Tim 2:15 studying the word of God takes work. Your problem is that you are lazy. What are you doing for God?
Conclusion: to get rid of the thorns in your life, get saved by Jesus who has already been through the fires of hell for you. And now that you’re saved, go to work to get rid of the thorns in your life. They don’t go away by themselves. You must be constantly vigilant to keep them out of your life.