Sufficient Grace
“My grace is sufficient for you.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
My Mama was the Queen of little pithy sayings that were filled with motherly wisdom and eventually found their way of sticking to me. As a young child begging for a little more candy, Mama asked me a simple question: “Donna Jo, how much is enough?” Before I could reply, Mama answered her own question with these words: “Always just a little bit more.” Years later Mama’s words- both her question and her answer- still challenge me when I struggle with disappointment or discontentment.
A good synonym for the word “enough” is the word “sufficient.” It comes from a Latin verb meaning “to meet the need.” Paul uses the word “sufficient” once in his letters to the early Church. In Philippians 1:20 Paul prays for sufficient courage to face both life and death as a prisoner for the Lord. We know that God answered Paul’s request for sufficient courage because Paul faithfully and courageously finished running his race before dying as a martyr for the faith.
God used the word “sufficient” as an answer to another Pauline prayer. In 2 Corinthians 12:8, Paul writes, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” No one knows exactly what Paul’s thorn in the flesh (12:7) was, but whatever it was, caused him great pain and suffering. God answered Paul’s fervent prayer with these words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (12:9)
Sufficient – enough to meet the need. God’s promise to Paul- and indeed to us- is that His grace is always sufficient. It’s no anesthetic for the pain of suffering, but God’s grace is sufficient for our every need. And with no disrespect to my Mama, but in God’s economy, there is always more of His grace to be found.
I’ve thought a lot about both sufficient courage and sufficient grace over the last few weeks. I’ve prayed for courage and grace for different folks who continue to deal with suffering.
A recent widower struggling with his grief. His bride (his words!) of almost fifty years recently lost her 2.5-year battle with lung cancer.
Residents along the Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida coasts affected by back to back Hurricanes Laura, Sally, and Delta.
Extended family members, friends, and President Trump struggling with Covid infections and complications
A life-long friend facing a recently diagnosed degenerative neurological disease
James Bruce suffering a six-minute grand mal seizure last week
Elisabeth Elliot writing in her wonderful book The Music of His Promises says,
"Whether you can take what life dishes out, and the difficult people life puts you into contact with, depends on what you take first. If you take from the grace of God the strength offered, you will find it absolutely sufficient to cover any need. You will find yourself quite amazingly able to bear the hardship of life's bitter battle as a good soldier. But the soldier has to be trained, prepared, and equipped first. Don't rush into the fray and try to "take it" without first taking strength."
The Apostle Paul certainly understood the taking of God's strength when he wrote these words to his young disciple Timothy: "Take strength from the grace of God which is ours in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1) Our strength to suffer well is taken from God’s unlimited and sovereign grace.
Wherever we are today, may we experience the sufficiency of God’s grace.
Sufficient courage; sufficient grace.
Amen and Amen,
Donna