His Grace is SUFFICIENT

His Grace is Sufficient
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:7-10 NIV)
I think most of us thought the Christian life was going to be more comfortable than it often is. Have those thoughts ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of faith, thinking that the Lord will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. That, however, is not the reality that is portrayed in Scripture. The Apostle Paul was a man who the Lord loved and used significantly, yet his life was never easy.
In fact, at one point, Paul thought his pain was too much to bear, and he pleaded for God to remove it. Friends, there’s nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our pain and suffering, but what should our response be if He doesn’t? Paul likely had no idea that His pleading with God over his personal afflictions would find its way into the Bible, to comfort and guide believers throughout the ages. The words that God provided to Paul apply to many of us in these very trying days: “My grace is sufficient for you” (v. 9).
Friends, God’s grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our greatest need. The problem is, sometimes, it doesn’t seem like the Lord is meeting our deepest needs. But the truth is, the Lord can see all the deficiencies, outcomes, and complications that we are unable to see. His goal for us is always our spiritual growth, He desires for us to be more conformed to Christ-likeness each and every day. The trials, hardships and pandemics of this life unfortunate play a vital role in achieving that spiritual growth.
The important issue through the many challenges of this life are how we respond to them. If all you want is relief, you could easily descend into anger and doubt. But if you desire to become the person God wants you to be, you will see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His character and strength in you. Trust in the Lord and always know that he desires to strengthen us through our weakness!
Grace and peace always,
Fr. Greg

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