“He gives more grace . . to the humble.” James 4:6 NKJV
“Grace is the point at which your deficiencies touch God’s sufficiency.”
My thoughts today are about “God’s sufficiency.”
It is not a comfortable experience to have something less than you need, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. It’s an awful feeling, yet there will be times when you may face exactly that situation. You may be tempted to just muscle through the problem with your wit and determination, and that may even work for you sometimes.
But there will come moments when you will need strength you lack, wisdom you do not possess, and resources you don’t have. Paul had an experience so severe that he recalls, “We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life . . completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. As a result we learned not to rely upon ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 NIV/NLT. The lesson to be learned is that you are not sufficient for all things, nor meant to be; but your God is sufficient, even in the most dire and impossible of circumstances – a God “who can raise the dead.” Maybe today, you feel as David did, “When I call, give me answers. God, take my side! Once, in a tight place, You gave me room; Now I’m in trouble again: grace me! hear me!” Psalm 4:1 The Message.
Here is the confidence that Paul found from his experiences, “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient . .” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NKJV. Self-sufficiency is simply a prideful illusion until grounded in your trust relationship with God. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV. Grace is the point at which your deficiencies touch God’s sufficiency. My testimony is as many others; God is always more than enough at every time and in every circumstance.
When you are completely relying on God for all you need, you will find Him faithful and His promise true, “He gives more grace . . God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God . . draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:6-8 NKJV. When Paul wrote about his “thorn in the flesh . . a messenger of Satan sent o buffet me,” he had received a personal word from God, “’My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness’ . . therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me . . For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NKJV. How foolish that a person would trust in one’s own strength with benign neglect of the God who stands waiting to be called upon. “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.” Jerry Bridges
My prayer for you today is that you will rest in the abounding sufficiency of grace.