You Lord, are sufficient

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Years ago I spoke to a pastor about a friend who was dealing with an addiction. No matter how much I prayed for it to be removed, the addiction remained just like the thorn in the side of the apostle Paul. The pastor told me that perhaps the addiction was not being removed because it always caused the person to eventually call out to God when they realized that in their own efforts, they were not strong enough to resist. The thorn was a reminder that they needed God’s strength to overcome.

Over time I began to see that same scenario in my addiction to food. Time and time again I would give into my cravings and then when the consequences began to surface, I would call out to God for help. I knew that God would forgive me and that He loved me unconditionally and with that encouragement I would try again.

But as this Royal Make Over continues, I believe there is much more to the passage above. I believe that God desires so much more than just a new beginning each time I fail in my own strength.

“What if this battle with food is actually the very thing that, if brought under control, can lead to a better understanding of God?” For years I’ve experienced God’s grace each time I started over again, but what if this time, I chose to experience His power to overcome?

Imagine the joy, the adventure, the freedom and the victory that we could be living in if we chose to use the thorn in our sides as the catalyst for experiencing more of God’s overcoming power and strength. We would even become grateful for the thorn because of the intimate relationship with God it gave us the opportunity to take hold of.

God has so much more available for us than to simply start again and again. He offers power to resist temptations. Strength to stand. Courage to overcome. A harvest to reap and a victory to embrace. All of these are possible if we choose to lean into Him, hold tight to His promises, obey His commands and follow His leading. His grace is sufficient for so much more than we can even imagine.

He offers to exchange our weakness for His strength. Our temptations for His truth. Our failures for victories in Him. Our self will for His perfect will. And if we do not give up, we will reap a harvest. (Galatians 6:9) A harvest that includes a deeper, more personal, ever dependent on Him relationship that experiences so much more than starting lines. With God we can fight the good fight, finish the race while keeping the faith and living in God’s amazing sufficiency as we overcome the thorns that had previously held us back.