Grace is Enough
I think struggling with prayer is a rite of passage in faith. Hearing "no" from my dad was hard for me as a child, and I don't think it has gotten any easier when I hear no from my heavenly father. What if we pray for something that is noble, important, that would demonstrate His love? What if we are praying for our child's life? Our mother's health? Or something simpler, like just ONE night of good sleep... And He answers with "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 corinthians 12:9)
Is it really enough? Some days it doesn't feel like enough. When C was born, and I stayed awake night after night, nursing, rocking, crying, praying. I had to wake up at 6 am with two energetic and lively children who were fighting, and I would pray that God would just give me one hour of sleep. Is that too much to ask for? Some days, these questions were almost crippling to my faith. Is God even listening? Does He care about these trivial things? If He does, why wouldn't He answer?
Today, I read through Philippians 4. It says in EVERY situation to present your requests and petitions to God! AHA! I have got Him now I thought! See, He SAYS to present it! So why didn't He answer me?
Then Paul goes on to say, because, if you 1) rejoice in God, and 2) Present him with all of your petitions, THEN the peace of God that transcends logic will guard your hearts.
Guard my heart again what? Perhaps the fear that God isn't listening. That God doesn't care. Or that God maybe isn't even there at all.
Right after that, Paul says... "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely....if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things" I suspect Paul writes this because he knew that in these moments that God tells us that His Grace is enough, we are going to struggle. We are going to question His love, His goodness, His existence even. But, when His peace guards our hearts, and we are able to meditate on all of the things He HAS done, it's impossible not to feel His Grace and love.
Max Lucado wrote "Contentment is a state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has."
His grace IS enough for us, though I doubt anyone on earth can really comprehend this, at least I can't fully comprehend it. But, It is. He tells us it is.
If you are reading this, I know that you have infiinitely more to be grateful for than just Grace alone. I know I do. Millions of things that I don't bother meditating on most days. I have so, so much more than Grace, how can I doubt His Goodness, His love for me?
Even when he says no.
I've been in church many times when our worship team has sung "His Grace is Enough" I've done enough bible studies where I've learned it, heard many sermons about it, but I've never really believed it. Until today, it was a head lesson, and not a heart lesson.
Is it really enough? Some days it doesn't feel like enough. When C was born, and I stayed awake night after night, nursing, rocking, crying, praying. I had to wake up at 6 am with two energetic and lively children who were fighting, and I would pray that God would just give me one hour of sleep. Is that too much to ask for? Some days, these questions were almost crippling to my faith. Is God even listening? Does He care about these trivial things? If He does, why wouldn't He answer?
Today, I read through Philippians 4. It says in EVERY situation to present your requests and petitions to God! AHA! I have got Him now I thought! See, He SAYS to present it! So why didn't He answer me?
Then Paul goes on to say, because, if you 1) rejoice in God, and 2) Present him with all of your petitions, THEN the peace of God that transcends logic will guard your hearts.
Guard my heart again what? Perhaps the fear that God isn't listening. That God doesn't care. Or that God maybe isn't even there at all.
Right after that, Paul says... "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely....if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things" I suspect Paul writes this because he knew that in these moments that God tells us that His Grace is enough, we are going to struggle. We are going to question His love, His goodness, His existence even. But, when His peace guards our hearts, and we are able to meditate on all of the things He HAS done, it's impossible not to feel His Grace and love.
Max Lucado wrote "Contentment is a state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has."
His grace IS enough for us, though I doubt anyone on earth can really comprehend this, at least I can't fully comprehend it. But, It is. He tells us it is.
If you are reading this, I know that you have infiinitely more to be grateful for than just Grace alone. I know I do. Millions of things that I don't bother meditating on most days. I have so, so much more than Grace, how can I doubt His Goodness, His love for me?
Even when he says no.
This is encouraging. I think you would really enjoy the book 1,000 Gifts. It is about Grace and being thankful in every circumstance. I hope you can get your hands on a copy of one! I read it and gave mine away, but I wish I had kept it. It's the kind of book you want to underline and reread when you need to remember how "it" really is.
ReplyDeletefeel free to put together a devotional any day now. you only have three small children- you have enough free time!
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