Sufficiency

II Cor. 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.

 

 

Paul had much to boast about from a seemingly human standpoint. Education, social status, great heritage, and then of course his visions and revelations with the Lord. But he knew that if he boasted, he would be a fool. So he refrained from speaking about the great things that he had seen and heard. But God stepped in to help him by giving him a thorn in the flesh, a thorn to keep him from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. What did Paul get to see and hear? How glorious they must have been that God had to send him a constant reminder of his flesh! Certainly, greatness with God brings suffering.

 

God told Paul that grace was all he needed. Grace would lift him up when his thorn would drag him down. Grace would be his full and complete recourse. He would experience strength in weakness. Was Paul sore about this? No, he embraced it fully. In fact, he would boast all the more gladly of his weaknesses. What an attitude! All the more gladly...How would I describe my response to the hard times, the illnesses, the weaknesses? He knew that in this grace-filled weakness he would be covered in the  power of Christ. For Christ's sake, he could be content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. Contentment is a far distance from endurance! Contentment speaks of peace, total surrender to the will of God. His response must be my response, For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

Father,

Thank You for these two verses. They have impacted my life so many times. Keep building within me contentment. Unite my heart to fear Your name, Teach me Your way.

In His name,

Amen