My Grace Is Sufficient For You

Paul, speaking in 2 Corinthians 12 of his “thorn in the flesh” (given to him, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he be exalted above measure), said that he pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from him. In response, the Lord Jesus said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Grace is what God does for us, and has done, despite what we’ve done. Paul said, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Paul equates the power of God with Jesus’ statement, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” “Therefore,” Paul says, “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.” The power of God, His grace, works through us, whether we are weak or strong. But the weaker we are, the stronger the Lord will be for us! But, we have to let Him, we have to trust Him, we have to seek Him, we have to give it all to Him.

Seek the Lord and be filled with the joy of the Lord, knowing that you have God’s grace in all that you do for Him and in Him. In our infirmities, His power is available to work in and through us, to strengthen us and to accomplish His will. We need to call on Him. When we are reproached for our faith, His grace is sufficient in our weakness, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness. We need to ask him to give us the words to speak and the power to live for Him. In needs, in persecutions and distress, these are our opportunities to see God work in miraculous ways in our lives, to draw closer to Him than ever and to be built up in our most Holy faith.

His grace is sufficient. He has done the ultimate deed for us, in sending His Son to die for our sin. He has done that for us because we were dead in sin. We are weak and unable to do it for our self. He has given us eternal life in Christ. We could not work to achieve that, He has given it freely to us.

Paul said, “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh (Gal. 3)?

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Col. 3:17).”

We received the Spirit of God by the hearing of faith. We can not do the work of God in the flesh. We can not make it through this life as Christians on our own, in our weakness. We need to do all things after coming to Him, then do them in His power as He leads. It is so easy to get off course and to trust in our own strength, ingenuity or ability. But I have the Spirit of God, His grace, His strength, His perfect knowledge, perfected in my weakness, “to press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead (Phil 3:12-13).”

We have access to the throne of the Creator of all things, our Maker and Father, through our faith in Jesus Christ. He will give us all things that we ask in His name, to accomplish His will. But we need to ask. We need to spend time in prayer, worship and study in His Word every day. We need to access His grace and allow His Spirit to work in and through us. We need to become dependent on our God! We need to be close to Him. Let us come to that throne often every day. Let us seek His will first, and His power first before we venture out in His name.

Oh merciful Father, empower us in your Spirit. May my strength come from you. May my every step be led and moved by You. May it be true of us as it was of Paul, that in our weakness, You are strong in us. May your Son be glorified in my life today. Be strong in me today Lord, in my weakness be glorified. In Jesus name, amen.