My Grace is Sufficient

My daily scripture: 

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.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

I am not sure if I am ever going to be as strong as Paul and be able to delight in my weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, but I do see the wisdom in this message.  It is in these moments of trial and temptation that we see God’s grace more clearly.  In our moments of deepest despair, He shows us His unconditional love. 

Unconditional Love (n):  affection with no limits or conditions; complete love. 

While I do not wish to go through these difficulties, I do see it is during those times in my life when I need God the most that He fills me with His grace.  I think it is human nature to easily “forget” or be “unappreciative” of what has been done for us as long as everything in our lives is going the way we want it.  My oldest son is an excellent example.  When he receives gifts from us and gets what he wants, he is happy and thankful.  However, in those instances when we tell him that he cannot have something he wants or cannot do something he wants to do, he is quick to forget all that we have done for him or given him as he irrationally proclaims, “It’s not fair.  I never get to do anything!”  (I bet if you are a parent, you've heard that one!)  Of course, we as his parents know that it isn't good for him to get “everything” he wants, and we try to remind him of all that he has to be thankful for.  As parents, we do hate to disappoint our children because we love them so much, but we also want them to be grateful and appreciative and understand our unconditional love for them.  Similarly, God also hates to see us go through trials and persecution.  He loves us unconditionally even when we act like spoiled children always wanting our way.  He knows that it is when we recognize and feel our own weakness and turn to Him that we will truly appreciate His love for us.  There is no time in my life as a parent when my children appreciate me more than when they have been hurt (usually due in some part to something they did that I have probably asked them not to do) and come to me to kiss their boo-boos, love them, and make it all better.  How much more can we feel God’s grace and love for us when he quietly cares for us in our darkest moments?  I know I have experienced that love a lot lately!