(2 Corinthians 12:9) My grace is sufficient for you.

Prior to this verse in 2 Corinthians, Paul prayed three times that God would take away what was called a “thorn in the flesh.”

This thorn was identified as a “messenger of Satan” that was oppressing or persecuting him.

We do not know what or whom Paul was talking about; through the years, many people have guessed.

But all we need to know is that it was really bothering Paul. It was not a small problem.

What is surprising is that God did not say, “Okay, I will answer your prayers and take it away.”

Instead, He said, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

What?

Didn’t God care that Paul was suffering and facing difficulty in his life and ministry?

God basically told him, “My grace is all you need—nothing more.”

Why would God tell Paul such a thing?

Well, the rest of the verse answers that question. 

God said, “For my power is made complete in weakness.”

This is one of the most important truths in Christian living, yet many of us overlook it.

God’s power is experienced most fully in our inabilities, limitations, and weaknesses.

When we try to live the Christian life through our own self-sufficiency and striving (our pride), we depart from God’s grace and power.

Unconsciously, we are saying, “I don’t need you God. I can do it myself.”

We profess to be Christians, yet we often live like atheists.

We often depend on ourselves far more than we depend on God.

When everything in our life is going great, we forget about God.

Throughout my life, I have experienced seasons of weakness in which I had to fully depend on God’s all-sufficient grace and power working within me. 

At times, I have been so weak—even burned out—that I had no other option but to cry out to God and trust Him.

To fully trust in God is an attitude of humility.

It is in our weakness that we surrender ourselves to God’s grace alone, not when everything is going great in our lives.

It is actually doing hard times in our lives that we required to surrender and trust God. We come to the end of self-effort.

It is during these hard times when we really grow in Christ.

Is God’s grace enough for you, or do you depend on your own efforts and abilities?

In difficult times, do you live as though God is absent?

Have you fully surrendered your daily life to God’s active grace?

Think about it.