What's Paul's thorn?

Have you ever wondered what Paul's thorn was? I have heard many explanations and farfetched ideas about what it was. All of which could be true if we only use our human imagnation without searching the Word and asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on this topic.
Let's see what Paul says about this thorn in 2 Cor 12:7;
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."
Here Paul says five vital things that all must be taken into consideration when we ask ourselves what Paul's thorn was. The thorn was given

1. to prevent Paul from being conceited
2. Paul had received surpassingly great revelations
3. Paul was given a thorn in his flesh
4. this thorn in his flesh was a messenger of Satan
5. Satan's messenger's mission was to torment Paul

I have heard people say that all bad things that happen to Christians are thorns in their flesh. I absolutely agree that other Christians than Paul can have a thorn in their flesh, but not all adversities that happen to any Christian is of this character. Why? Because Paul received this thorn because of his surpassingly great revelations. Has every Christian received like revelations? I don't think so. Paul's revelations were of such a kind that they could make him conceited, or puffed up, but this thorn kept him humble.
I have also heard people vehemently claim that Paul's thorn was a sickness, and not any sickness, but an eye sickness. They claim that his expression in Gal.6:11; "See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!" indicate that he was turning blind and had bad eyesight. That's just as incorrect as if you thought I was going blind because I have written the above scripture reference in bold letters. I did it because I want it to stand out. It's important.
If Paul's thorn was not a sickness, what was it?
Paul answers that question very plainly and straight forward when he says that it is a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
A messenger of Satan with power to torment. What's that?
When I want to find out what a word or a statement means, I look other places in the Bible to find similar expressions, and to see the connection they're in. And the expression "thorn" is used several places in the old testament. Here are a few examples;
"But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand" (2 Sam.23:6)
"Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you" (Judges 2:3)
 "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live" (Numbers 33:55)
"Then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you" (Joshua 23:13).
In all the above scriptures, thorns are referred to as "evil men", "enemies", "evil nations", and "inhabitants". Not once is thorns referred to as sickness and disease. And when we know all that Paul went through because of evil men that did not want him to proclaim God's kingdom and freedom in Christ, we see very clearly what he means with a thorn in the flesh; people coming against him, and he makes a list of his hardships in 2 Cor 11:23-28;
"I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches".
If you and I want to move forward and grow in Christ, it's important that we let go of traditions and attitudes that do not line up with God's Word.
"For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do" (Mark 7:8)
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8).
Go for God's umcompromised Word, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what's the meaning behind verses and scriptures you don't understand, meditate and reflect on the Word, and you will grow and mature in your Christian walk.