Grace That Meets You Weak

Paul begged God three times to take away a particular affliction, and God did not. Instead God said something Paul carried for the rest of his life. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. And Paul, who wanted the thing gone, learned to say he would rather boast in his weaknesses so that the power of Christ might rest upon him.

Most men fighting lust are quietly waiting to become strong enough that the fight will finally be easy, and reading their ongoing weakness as proof that God has not shown up. This verse turns that on its head without lecturing anyone. Your weakness is not the thing keeping God's power out. It is the very place where his power is designed to show itself.

That does not mean God will hand you the sin as some kind of gift. It means he is not waiting for you to be impressive before he draws near. The grace is sufficient now, in the weakness you have this morning, not the strength you keep hoping to earn by next year.

So you can stop bracing for the moment you have it all together. That moment is not the point. His power resting on an honest, weak man is the point.

Lord, I have wanted to be strong so I could stop needing you. Let your grace be enough for me here in my weakness, and let your power do what my willpower never has.