Sufficient Grace

"Sufficient Grace" (2 Corinthians 12:9&10)

The Apostle Paul asked the Lord to remove a "thorn in the flesh" (vs. 7) three times. Three times God refused to remove the thorn-whatever it was. Most Bible teachers believe is was some kind of physical malady. Regardless, God wasn't going to let Paul get rid of it.

Instead, that thorn in Paul's flesh became a learning opportunity for him. He discovered what many Jesus-followers haven't yet learned. God's grace is sufficient for whatever comes our way. We say we believe that, but our lives and our words often don't match up.

As I mentioned yesterday, these aren't easy days for a lot of us. The pressure of living day to day can wear us down. Our children and grandchildren often bring concern our way. Perhaps one of them isn't well. One for whom we have great love chooses to walk away from faith. Our hearts get heavy. We feel the weight of trying to live a godly life in an ungodly world, and we just get tired.

It is for people like us that Paul wrote these words!

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I need those words, and I am reasonably certain that many who read this will need them-maybe even this week. I offer you no guilt today. I don't exhort you to do more than you're doing for Jesus. You'll find no pressure to perform or do better in this FF. What I offer you is the promise of hope and strength. Whatever comes your way this week that seems more than you can handle, remember that Jesus' strength in us is made more evident when we are weak.

Weakness doesn't demand failure. Discouragement doesn't require defeat. Thorns in the flesh don't define our health in any way! The Apostle, who knew the pressure of weakness, discouragement and thorns in the flesh, discovered that each struggle is an opportunity for infused strength from Jesus! You and I can discover that, too.

Those who know Jesus have an unlimited reserve of "sufficient grace." Let's choose to live in that sufficiency this week! Blessings on each one who reads this as you discover God's sufficiency in YOUR life! -- John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist Toms River

God's WORD for YOU -- Proverbs 2; Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3

Think About This: It could be a sign of pride in your life if a word of reproof or
admonition is not able to be received with the same grace, whether it be given by the poorest of saints or the most educated person. -- John Bunyan