DEVOTION – DAY 358

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “God’s Grace Is Sufficient For Us”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Three times I pleaded to 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.”

The common reaction for most people when they encountered painful situations like financial disasters, poor health, broken relationships, marital disharmony, difficulties at work etc. – they cry out to God to get them out of their troubles as quickly as possible. The apostle Paul faced some discomfort that he referred to as a “thorn in his side.” He had pleaded to the Lord for its removal three times but the Lord’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This means that in times of difficulties and pain, the Lord expects us to depend upon Him. Rather than to ask the Lord to rescue us immediately from our troubles, we are to depend upon Him to help us through our crisis. It is in such trying times that we experience God’s grace. Grace is God’s favor given to us when we do not deserve it. God will give us the strength, the patience and the endurance to weather the problems in our lives. That is God’s way of revealing His power through us, that when we are weak, we are able to say we are strong.

We know someone who felt some discomfort in his chest. He decided to have a checkup. After running some tests, he was diagnosed with some blockages in his heart. He would require an angioplasty procedure as soon as possible as the degree of blockage was quite severe in one artery. The concern was that he might have a heart attack. He and his wife prayed for wisdom and also sought medical advice. They made an appointment for the angioplasty to be done within a month’s time. But on the day of the procedure, the cardiologist had to postpone the procedure causing further delays. The couple continued to pray and asked God to take control of the situation. Each day is seen as a gift from God as this man depended on the Lord, trusting that the blockages will not worsen nor affect his general well-being. Throughout, he is able to testify that God’s grace is sufficient for him. He continues to experience God’s peace. He is patiently waiting for his angioplasty procedure to be done.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You are Sovereign and in control. Please help us to trust in You in all circumstances for Your grace is sufficient for us and Your power is made perfect in our weakness. We humbly pray in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Questions

1. What is your natural response whenever you cry out to God, when you face problems and difficulties?
2. Do you patiently wait upon the Lord, trusting that His grace is sufficient for you?
3. How has God’s grace been sufficient for you in your past difficulties? Share.
4. How does this encourage you to trust God and depend upon Him when you face current and future difficulties?