2 Corinthians 12:9,10, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
I have been asking myself this week, am I living and holding onto God’s promise that His grace is sufficient for me? I would be the first to admit that I have many weaknesses and often fall into feeling insecure in my own abilities. I don’t know that I can always exude contentment as Paul was able to do, while undergoing harsh criticisms (which to me come off as insults), inconvenient adjustments in living right now, and the normal calamities of life. But I discovered Proverbs 12:16 this week, in my reading a chapter a day in Proverbs, which states, “The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.” Shrugs it off in other words. I find that verse amazing!
Paul lived before others a steadfast faith in the Lord’s power and grace and rejoiced in the “hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2)” to sustain him. In Romans 5:3, Paul declares, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” I ask myself am I growing in endurance? Is my character being further produced and refined, and is this producing more hope in God’s sufficiency in these current times? Patience includes uncomplaining suffering. That seems like an oxymoron. But it comes from the power which God gives in the day of the trial to show His glory.
When problems occurred before Covid-19, our modern society believed in self-sufficiency in handling issues in life with slogans such as:
- “You have to have a positive mental attitude to meet this problem.”
- “The power lies within you to conquer any problem.”
- “Look deep within your inner resources for success.”
Maintaining a positive mental attitude will not take away the uncertainty of our current pandemic situation. But God’s promises will conquer the fears that creep in and can combat Satan’s ploys of defeat. We are instead, to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16). It might mean praying one hundred times or even three hundred times, until God takes away the difficulty, – until He supplies the answers to what you are asking or lets you know that His grace is sufficient for you to bear the pain or the disappointment, as he did with Paul.
Don’t allow your burdens to make you harden up and lose your purpose in going forward. James 4:10 states, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” The NIV says, “he will lift you up.” Every morning, lay it all out to God – all of your weaknesses, burdens, frustrations, etc. Seek His approval. Then lay down your will and be quiet before the Lord. You will receive God’s sufficient grace and mercy for the day. The deepest struggles of our souls are just as great victories as any miracles found in the Bible. When we can control our temper, love others that have wronged us, having peace in the middle of a crisis, showing kindness without retaliation, having self-control with our mouth, all of these are just as great a victory as David slaying Goliath. Take limitations in stride and put your focus on knowing that God’s grace is sufficient despite weaknesses and gives strength through the power of His Word.
What lessons and rich nuggets of truth found in God’s Word, has God been teaching you? He may not give you an explanation in your suffering moment, but He has given you His promise, that His grace is never in short supply, is never on allocation, and is sufficient.
Listen to Casting Crowns, The Change In Me – YouTube.