Grace

                                                             

Grace

 1 Corinthians 12:9

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.”

I was deep in prayer, in gut-wrenching, crying, pouring your heart out kind of prayer when these words came to my head. “My grace is sufficient for you, my grace is sufficient for you”. Those powerful words played over and over in my mind.
What does that even mean I wondered? Why did those words come into my thoughts? I looked up the verse and found the next part of the verse – “for my power is made perfect in weakness”. I realized that was what God was trying to show me, trying to show that though I am weak, weak down to my very core, my weakness is overtaken by His strength. By His strength, I am able to get out of bed. By His strength, I am able to face the day.  I also began to wonder what “His grace is sufficient for me” means. I looked up the definition of grace - the free and unmerited favor of God. WOW, God’s favor is enough for me. God gives me favor and becomes my strength. I become less so He can become more.
I let these words sink slowly into my soul. Let them take root into my current reality. Enveloping me with the warmth of the meaning, the love that our Father has for us. In the storms of life, how do we apply these words? We can accept them or continue in our own strength. I have tried to do things in my own strength before and I was crushed by the weight, unable to breathe, unable to fulfill God’s purpose in my life.
When we really understand that we can rest, we can be still, we can let him fight our battles it is then that we enter into a place of peace, a place of true rest. God goes before us and fights our battles and at the same time is pouring grace over us like a cool waterfall reaching into the intricate places that no human could ever reach. His grace and power are unmatched by anyone or anything.
There are times I am overwhelmed by the seemingly impossible situations I am facing, but I am now more overwhelmed, more overtaken by the vastness of God’s love for me.  We are never alone. He holds our hands and our hearts and carries us through the valleys. In my weakness, He is strong. Today, tomorrow and through our storms, we can rest in this promise.