“God’s Grace is Sufficient”

 

The apostle Paul said these words that he heard from Jesus during a time when he was suffering:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul’s “Thorn in the Flesh”

If you read the context of 2 Corinthians 12, you’ll discover that Paul had experienced a super spiritual high and then was hit by attacks from a demonic spirit that he called “a messenger of Satan.”  He said that the spirit buffeted him – that means that Paul felt like he was being beat up.

His spiritual high happened when his spirit was caught up into Paradise, where he received amazing revelation from God, some of which he was not allowed to share.  He was tempted to boast about this, but did not.  The demonic attacks were allowed, because, as Paul explained, they were to keep him humble.  He had to depend on God.

We don’t know what the attacks were.  Some think it was sickness; others think that it was diminishing eyesight; others think that it was the extreme persecution that he experienced.  He does not tell us what the attacks were.  He called them a “thorn in the flesh.”  However, he said that he asked the Lord three times to remove it.  God’s answer was that His grace was sufficient for Paul, even when he was feeling weak.

Paul got to the point of being glad that he was in this situation that caused him distress.  His testimony became, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  He found that his suffering was actually making him spiritually stronger.

So often we wonder why we are going through hard times.  We can learn from Paul’s experience that God is making us more like Jesus through our suffering if we allow Him to.  The tough times actually make us stronger, because God’s strength is given to us when we rely on Him.

My Own Recent Suffering

I have not been able to write much for the last few months.  I was going through a lot of difficulties which were draining me.  Also I was having trouble sleeping, which was exhausting me.

A relative became unable to take care of herself, but was resistant to going into assisted living.  I was trying to give her a certain amount of care and to communicate with some of her medical providers.  But at the same time, I was caring for my husband who has dementia.  This became difficult, for I have other responsibilities as well to juggle.

Finally, this relative came down with Covid 19, which I caught, and which spread to my husband.  Both she and my husband were hospitalized.  The results were that this relative ended up being sent to assisted living when discharged from the hospital, and my husband’s cognitive abilities declined as a result of Covid.  For awhile he was physically very weak as well, and caring for him during that time became very difficult.  He became despondent as well.

As I have previously written, my best friend passed away during that time.  As soon as I recovered from Covid, I had to start clearing out the apartment of the relative who had gone to assisted living.  This was in addition to needing to devote more time to caring for my husband, getting him to appointments, and dealing with PT, OT, nursing, and speech therapists coming to the house regularly.

I really needed God’s grace and thanked Him for it.  I knew that He was working in and through these situations.

We were able to get an extension on the date to clear out the apartment.  A good friend from church assisted me, as well as a couple family members.  This was God’s provision, for He knew that I could not move out furniture and take care of everything by myself.  Finally, by the end of January, the apartment was cleared out and cleaned.

During all of this, I did not have the ability to continue writing.  I felt weak in many ways.  However, I can truly say that through all of this, God’s grace was sufficient, and still is.

Strength Through Weakness

The Lord has been working on my tendency toward impatience.  It has been hard to wait to get back to writing.  And I’ve had to work on my responses to my husband when he is confused and not able to do things he used to do.

During this time, God has also given me opportunities to show His love and caring to others.  He even opened the way, when I asked Him, to pray over two relatives who have been far from Him for a number of years.  I am now trusting Him to work in their lives as they remember the prayer and my expression of gratitude for them.

At the beginning of the year, God gave me three words:  grace, restoration, and abundance.  I am already seeing Him bring about these promises in many ways.  I praise Him that today I not only have some time, but also the motivation and ability to write again.

When speaking about the sufficiency of God’s grace, Paul stated this: “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  In other words, God’s perfect strength is manifested in His children when we feel weak.

I am experiencing that as well.  God’s grace to us is truly the amazing grace that we sing about.  It is beyond our comprehension.  Yet it comforts us and works in us day by day.

If you are struggling today, read 2 Corinthians 12 and turn your eyes to the One who provides grace and strength in abundance.

Also take a few minutes to listen to Chris Tomlin sing his reassuring words, “Your Grace is Enough.”

 

I pray that you will experience how God’s grace is sufficient in your life.