Sufficient Grace

I was reminded in 2 Corinthians 12:9 of the sufficiency of God’s grace.  Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, evidently had some excruciating problem.  He is so burdened by the personal need (whether it was physical or mental we do not know) that he called it a thorn in the flesh and something used by Satan to beat him.  And like all true followers of Jesus Christ, he turned to his Savior.  Three times he begged God to remove this awful disability, and three times the answer came back the same, “No.”  But not just a simple “no,”  an explanation was given, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  It was as if the holy, uncreated One was saying, “Paul, this is going to hurt, you are not going to like this, but my grace is poured out upon you-you are mine and I love you deeply–and that is enough!”  It is enough to know that no matter how or when Satan sends the messenger to buffet us and no matter how sharp and long the thorns are that pierce through our flesh causing tremendous pain; it is enough that God loves me and has caused his face to shine upon me.   It is enough that I am surrounded by the loving favor and merciful kindness of my God.  The pain may continue, Satan will keep hitting, but as Paul says in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.”  God is at work in the worst of situations having determined that His glory will be revealed through us-sinners under grace.  How does God reveal his glory through us?  Back in 2 Corinthians Paul further develops what the Lord had told him, “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.”  Previously Paul had recognized that this infirmity was given by God who allowed Satan to use it harshly, “Lest I be exalted above measure.”  God all-sufficient grace surrounds the humble Christian so that the glory of Christ’s strength might be clearly seen in us.  God is not interested in disciples who boast in their own ability and strength, he takes delight in a follower who although they may be weak (and they most certainly are) manifest the awesome power of Yahweh in their lives.   This is what the grace-loving pleasure-of God does for a Christian.  This is why we can bless God for the triumphs and bless God for the weakness.  He is the God of the weak who makes them strong.