“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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
We sing songs about it, we quote scripture, we know all the right things to say, but when it comes down to it…do we really do it? Do we really believe it?
God is Constant
God is constant. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.’ (ESV) Isaiah 40:8 says, ‘The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God will stand forever.’
God is not a bandaid or a pain medication to ease the symptoms of our life. God is God! He is ‘Adonai’, our authority (Psalm 8), ‘Elohim’, our creator (Genesis 1:1-3), ‘El Roi’, the one who sees me (Psalm 139:7-12), ‘El Shaddai’, all sufficient one (Genesis 17:1-3), ‘Immanuel’, God with us (Isaiah 7:14), ‘Jehovah Rapha’, the Lord who heals (Exodus 15:25-27), ‘Jehovah Rohi, ‘the Lord is my Shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1-3), ‘Jehovah Jireh, ‘the Lord is my provider’ (Genesis 22:14). *See note below on name of God.
This very God sees YOU.
He hears YOU.
He knows your deepest-darkest hurts and fears.
He longs to be in relationship with YOU.
In our scripture, the Apostle Paul is dealing with some heavy stuff. In the verse right before, he is actually pleading with God to take away the ‘thorn in his flesh’. He asked God over and over, he was practicing what he preached in Philippians 4:6-7. He didn’t just pray once and give up.
Instead of getting frustrated or defeated, he trusted that God was doing something. Instead of feeling that God had given up on him and taking matters into his own hands, he declared that God’s grace was enough and that it was enough for the moment he was in, as well as the moments to come.
Heart to Hearts
I like to have heart to hearts with God. I talk, cry, yell and scream, sometimes I sing or sometimes I just sit. Every time, I share my heart, what I am struggling with, what is frustrating me. I surrender, and ask, no, I beg and plead for him to help me.
Seeking God first does not always come naturally. In our eyes, it’s easier to find a solution ourselves. It’s easier to shrug it off. It’s easier to blame it on someone else. Unfortunately, dependence is frowned upon. It is a form of weakness. It is almost taboo. Our culture is all about becoming self sufficient and boasting in what ‘I have done’, what ‘I have created’.
Here lies the very problem that is plaguing a lot of us Mommas! This idea that we have to be the perfect mom. We have to be the perfect housekeeper. We have to be the perfect wife. Have a great looking body, with the latest and greatest fashion trends. We have to be able to handle Pinterest like a boss and entertain and be on the PTA at school.
Surrender is the Bravest Action
Contrary to popular belief, the bravest action we could take is placing ourselves in complete dependence and surrender before God. We raise our white flag and wave it something fierce. No longer are the days we put on a mask and pretend that we are strong enough, we are brave enough, we are enough on our own to face and conquer life’s challenges. Rather, we start our day in total surrender, face to the floor, prostrate, boasting in the fact that we are weak and we need Jesus.
Then we do it again, and again, and again.
God is EVERYTHING
Mommas, this verse tells us that God is EVERYTHING we need and will ever need and all we have to do is show up in our weakness.
Look at this, ‘My grace is sufficient FOR YOU’. It doesn’t say ‘was sufficient’ or ‘is sufficient for the Apostle Paul’. It says ‘My grace is sufficient for you’. It is right here and right now. It is alive and active. It is for YOU.
Until, we come to full recognition of our ‘insufficiency’, we won’t understand the fullness of that grace.
Let’s pray
Oh gracious God! We come before you broken. We come before you weary and worn. God we realize that apart from you, our efforts are in vain. Apart from you we fail. Lord, we thank you for being enough. Thank you for being big enough to hear our hurts and our fears. Thank you for being gentle and patient, for waiting for us to realize that we are mere jars of clay. God I ask that you would help us to boast in this. That we would accept your grace and fully grasp that it is all we need. Thank you for loving us the way you do. In your name, Amen!
BE BRAVE
- Do you have ‘thorns’? Have you talked to God about them?
- Memorize 2 Corinthians 12:9
- Start your day off in surrender. Find a time and place to have a heart to heart with God.
- Share with us.
His grace is more than enough for you!
*What’s in a name? In some Bible translations the names of God have been translated away, although when they were originally written they were greatly revered because of the power of the name. The names of God show his power, his majesty, his provision and so many more parts of his character. Please reference the link below to learn more about the names of God.
Christine Morton
She is a lover of Jesus, Littles, Coffee, and Light bulb moments.
Christine enjoys leading worship with her husband, crafting, and encouraging mommas in the trenches of motherhood.
Latest posts by Christine Morton (see all)
- The Just Walk by Faith-The Hard Questions - October 7, 2016
- Brave Words: Good for Building Up - September 30, 2016
- Brave Actions: My Grace is Sufficient - September 23, 2016