My Grace is Sufficient

The other day, I was in prayer with God, and this thought, My grace is sufficient, popped into my mind. God had me think on it and study it, because I asked a simple question, "What does that mean?"

I searched the meaning of "grace" because I was curious exactly what it meant - and to my surprise, here was the definition given to me by Google.

: (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God

I've heard many definitions of God's grace, but this one stuck out to me the most. God's grace is free and unmerited. That means, we don't have to do anything to get this grace and favor; we just have to be His.

Now that we've heard the definition, let's go back to My grace is sufficient. The first part of 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness...”

My grace is sufficient...  God's grace is enough. What's it enough for? Anything. Everything. It doesn't matter what situation we're facing, what matters is that having God on our side, that's enough. 

Take a look at what God said in the next part of that verse, "My strength is made perfect in weakness."  

When we feel at our weakest, God's strength is perfect. As I was struggling with some things, my weaknesses, they brought me closer to God. They opened up doors I hadn't experienced with Christ before. I had opened a door to the Savior, even though I was struggling and feeling all alone. God's strength helped me through my weakness. His strength helped me fight a battle I had been struggling with.

His strength had proven to be perfect because I was relying on Him to get me through this. I didn't have the strength myself to face the tormenting thoughts the devil was placing in my head. (I was fighting worry and depression, and the devil was using this against me.) It had been a constant battle for weeks to get over this and I was worn down. I didn't know if I could make it anymore, but God showed me that His strength was enough to get me through because it was perfect. I'm only human. I couldn't have done it on my own, and God knew that. 

This whole time, God's grace was more than sufficient. His free and unmerited favor was mine; all I had to do was reach out and get it.  His strength was mine. All I had to do was reach out and take it. 

Don't let your situation dictate your life. God has sent you His strength. Lean on Him. And always remember, His grace (free and unmerited favor) is more than enough. You can do this. You can make it through whatever storm you're facing. Don't let the devil have the wheel because he'll take you down the wrong path every time.

Cry out to the Lord

 

Guys, sometimes it's hard to remember that no matter the storm we're traveling through, there is a light amidst the storm.  God will calm the storm and will bring us out of the things that distress us the most. 

Finding the Sun in the midst of the Storms

Thursday night, as I was headed to meet my best friend before we hit the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, I drove through some storm clouds.  It was around seven o’clock at night, and I had no expectations of seeing the sun again until the next morning.  But I was wrong.  I could see the sun, shining brightly ahead of me and a wall of black clouds directly behind me.

Since I was by myself and the songs on the radio were making me sad, I got to thinking about my current situation in life.  I don’t know where my life is going, and right now, I’m not sure I want to try and figure it out.  Because every time I try to plan out my life, it never goes according to MY plan, but that doesn’t matter.  My life is going according to GOD’S plan. 

This is the picture I took on Thursday. 

Seeing the sunshine ahead of me and the dark clouds behind me though, reminded me that no matter what I’m going through the storm clouds will eventually be on the other side, and the sun will be right ahead of me.  I may not see the sun until the next morning, but it’s there.  Always ready to come back up and shine.

God is like that.  We may be in the middle of a storm, but God is there waiting on us to show us the way, the light. 

I’m not saying whatever your storm cloud is will be easy to drive out of, and I’m not saying your storm will only last a night.  But what I do know is that God is there to help us during the storm and after the storm. 

This reminds me of a quote from Joyce Meyer’s book, The Battlefield of the Mind.  “It’s easy to quit; it takes faith to go through.”

How true is that statement?!  It’s so easy to give up, and the storms overtake us and toss us around.  We believe the lies the Devil is spreading, and we have no idea how on earth to find our way to the Son again.  We question the storms.  Why are they in our lives?  Why can’t we have what we want?  Why?  Why, God, Why?  I’ve been here.  Very recently in fact.  I had too much time to think last night while waiting for the movie to begin at midnight and driving to my best friend's house.  Why am I here?  Why am I facing the trials and storm clouds that I am?  I don’t know.  I don’t have the answers.  God does, and in time, He’ll reveal that to me I hope.  But until then, what I have to do is keep living my life for God, to keep having the faith that He has the storms in His hands, and He’ll deliver me from them.  And the sun is just on the other side of those thick, black storm clouds. 

I will leave you with these verses.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

And here is the last half of Psalm 30:5 “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (KJV)

Your joy, your sun will come in the morning.  He didn’t say what morning, but He knows which morning.  And that’s all that matters.  Have the faith that God will bring you through these storms because in the end, all things come together how they were meant to be.