"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."- 2 Corinthians 12:9This morning I felt the intense need to read of God's grace...to remind myself that His grace is sufficient. As I searched the scriptures I came across 2 Corinthians 12:9 and then as I searched through some of Morning and Evening, one of the first things I came to was a passage based off of the very same verse! Isn't God kind to lead us to the right thing at the right time? The following passage I'm about to post from Charles Spurgeon speaks specifically about certain kinds of trials, but I believe that the Lord wants us to remember that His grace is still sufficient in all of our circumstances. It's sufficient when we are tired and stressed, it's sufficient when we have sinned and feel as though we cannot approach His throne, it's sufficient when the world seems to be falling down around us and it's sufficient when we are happy and all is going well. Today I hope to honor God by truly believing that His grace is sufficient and living like I believe it.
"If none of God's saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, Still will I trust in the Lord; when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh! what honour it reflects on the gospel. God's grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring--that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as he is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night--I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm; the tempest must rage about it, and then I shall know whether it will stand. So with the Spirit's work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, steadfast, unmovable,--
Calm mid the bewildering cry, Confident of victory.
He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for his failing you, never dream of it--hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end." Charles Spurgeon
2 comments:
I loved that last paragraph. Spurgeon has an innate ability describe exactly where my heart is and then lift with words of scripture and encouragement. Thanks for passing this on.
amen! thanks for sharing this lana. charles' words were very timely for me.
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