Sufficient


SUFFICIENT ___________________________________________________

As with so many issues of the Christian life, I deal with the different way God and I tend to think. I find the verse above a comfort at first glance. 

I like the part about "sufficient" but my finite mind and sometimes oftentimes stubborn heart wrestle with what God means by sufficient versus what I deem sufficient. 

What if He doesn't think I need what I think I need?

What if He thinks I can subsist and be content on a way different amount than I think I can?

What if His determination of sufficient doesn't add up when it comes to the commitments I've already made? What if His numbers aren't the same as my numbers and those of the cumulative amount of my current bills?

What then? 

Again . . . what then?

Does that mean He is not being sufficient? Does that mean He doesn't care about me? 

Does that mean . . . He's forgotten me? 

Let's read on . . .

"for My power is made perfect in weakness . . ."

Hmm . . . His power is made perfect in my . . .  WEAKNESS.

But God! I tend to want to holler.

God!

I don't like being weak. I. Don't. Like. Being. Weak!

I know I'm never the strongest person in the room, either physically or spiritually. I am usually pretty sure I'm not even the strongest woman in my circle.

Yet in my realization of my own strength or lack thereof on the continuum, I am reticent to admit weakness.

Paul has an answer for that as well. He apparently felt the same way and decided upon this action instead:

"THEREFORE I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
How do I have the power of Christ rest upon me?

I boast gladly of my weaknesses.

I don't hide from them or behind a professed strength of my own. On the contrary, I must admit my weaknesses, my shortcomings, and my missing the mark.

Only in accepting I have weakness and boasting in it, can I find strength in Jesus.

Only in Him.

Lest you think you have run into an article to belabor my weaknesses and leave us all rolling our eyes and discouraged, I am not going to boast in great detail here of all my weaknesses.

However, I do know one area of weakness I may share with many of you.

I am easily distractible.

I start out each day pretty well with my cup of coffee, my Bible, and Youversion. 

Yes, Youversion, on my phone. That's all well and good until I find myself drifting from my devotions and devoting myself and my attentions to what everyone else is doing on social media.

How about you?

Am I the only one who finds the lives of others simultaneously a refreshing diversion from my own troubles and a reason to wish I were more like those whose snapshots I peruse?

I need to reorder my priorities to limit the distractions.

I need to put down my phone.

As in any area I struggle, I find myself turning back to the truth:

"My grace is SUFFICIENT for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." 
My job is to trust, to believe He knows exactly what is sufficient for me when I do my part.

He doesn't need me to be strong because His power is perfect in my weakness.

How can we rely on God and His sufficiency for us?

How can we boast in our weaknesses, be at peace with knowing He is our strength and doesn't need our help?

As always, I long to leave a trail of beauty regardless of the mistakes lying behind me.

Leaving a trail of beauty~

Pam




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