Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

February 23, 2018

by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO BE MY SUFFICIENCY (part 1)

II Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness….”

This particular passage is dealing with the Apostle Paul’s infirmity, and his relationship with God as he was going through it. Let me just say that each of us have our own infirmities in life. Some are worse than others. Some occupy our minds more than others. some are more prevalent than others. Our infirmities might not be the same thing that Paul was dealing with, but it does not really matter what the particular infirmity we are going through, what matters is that each of us rely upon God as we deal with it.

I first notice that Paul, as he was describing what transpired between he and God, tells us that God talked to him. “And He said unto me.” God really is an ever present help when we face trials. God is always present. God is always there. God always cares. I have never heard the audible voice of God, and you have not either, but I have heard the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speak to me internally. At times when I have needed it the most, God spoke to me. I want you to know today that God will speak to you also. You are not alone, and you are not going through trials alone. God is there!

Secondly, God makes this statement,”My grace is sufficient for thee”. Did you hear that? MY GRACE! God owns grace. Nothing else will be enough. No one else will be enough. It is always the grace of God. Where would we be without it?

God also makes it clear that His grace is “sufficient”. That word simply means “enough”. God’s grace is enough. It always has been and it always will be. For some reason we think that what we are going through at the present time, is larger and bigger and greater than anything else anyone has ever been through in history. We think that God’s grace will not be enough for what we are going through, and yet God‘s grace has been enough for everything that has ever transpired in a Christians life in all of history. God is reminding Paul hear that his problem is not as big as God’s grace. I know that when we face infirmities, we look to a lot of things, and a lot of people, for strength and help and encouragement. But when we look to others, we often have unrealistic expectations that they should be enough to fix our problems. People will never be sufficient for all of our problems. Nothing will ever be sufficient except for the grace of God.

I encourage you today to simply rest and trust the sufficiency of God’s grace. It really is enough. You don’t need new things, new friends, new purchases, new getaways, or a new life. They will be a temporary fix for a long lasting problem. They will not be sufficient, but God’s grace will. I am persuaded of that!