What I can’t do, God can. When I am inadequate, God is sufficient.
“The glorious riches of this mystery, Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 NIV.
My thoughts and comments today are about, “God’s glorious riches.”
There is a much that makes you wonder if you have enough of whatever is needed – enough time, enough knowledge, enough determination, enough resource, enough ability. Often you will wonder, “Do I have the resolve or the resource to do this?” If you only depend upon what you know, you will never know enough. If you trust in what you can do, you cannot do enough. If you rely on what you have, you will not have enough.
Face this fact. You will not always be sufficient in yourself. Admitting that does not mean you have failed, or will fail. It just means that you will need to find the help that you need from somewhere other than yourself. “The glorious riches of this mystery which is, Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 NIV.
Trust this truth. You can always have a sufficiency in God, for whatever you need, for whatever you face in life. Facing your inadequacy is not a fatal flaw; insufficiency is an invitation to look elsewhere – upward, outside of yourself. That is not a bad thing to happen. That is the best of things to happen, when you choose to look to God for help. “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:16-17 NIV.
There is a wonderful promise in God’s Word also written by the Apostle Paul that supports today’s verse. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God . . it is written with Spirit on spirit, His life upon our lives!” 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 NKJV/MSG. Isn’t that spectacular? That’s why Paul could confidently day, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength . . You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.” Philippians 4:13/19 NIV/MSG.
I was twenty-one when Gayle and I first began to pastor in Granite City, Illinois. As a result of my father’s death just a week earlier, the church my father pastored for 15 years and in which I had grown up, invited us to be their pastor. A senior in Bible College and married just three weeks, I felt so inadequate for the responsibilities I was accepting. I had lived so little, knew so little, and had experienced so little of life as yet. I knew that God had called me to accept their gracious invitation, but I was not as prepared as would be needed.
That’s when God whispered to my heart a wonderful promise from His Word, “He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV. Each service, just before I stood to minister God’s Word, I would quietly whisper those words to God and my own heart, a healthy reminder from where my sufficiency comes. Across more than fifty years, that promise still rests secure in my heart each time I stand to minister God’s Word. What I can’t do, God can; when I am inadequate, God is sufficient. God will not take you where He will not be with you. God will not ask of you what He does not provide to you.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me, you can do nothing. But if you stay joined to Me and My words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love.” John 15:5-9 NLT.
Today, I pray for you to know that Jesus is always enough for anything every time.
Christian Communications 2016