End Time Rain Devotion

His Strength+My
Weakness=Sufficient Grace
2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Many of us can identify with Paul’s testimony above.
God often gives us metaphorical thorns in our flesh that
despite our heart-felt pleadings and petitions, remain
firmly embedded. Why does God do this? Paul
describes in verse 7 of the same chapter that the socalled “thorn” was “the messenger from Satan to buffet
me, lest I be exalted to be above measure.” Such is the
paradox of the Christian walk, God gave Paul an
extraordinary heavenly vision (verses 2-4), but to keep
him humble, he invited Satan to afflict him. "In His
providence He brings these persons into different
positions and varied circumstances that they may
discover in their character the defects which have been
concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them
opportunity to correct these defects, and to fit
themselves for His service. Often, He permits the fires of
affliction to assail them that they may be purified."—
Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 471.Paul indirectly refers to a pride problem. God’s omniscience,
recognising the potential for Paul to abuse his knowledge of
such an amazing revelation, allows the enemy of our souls
to “buffet” him. In the Greek, the verb “to buffet” means “to
strike a blow with the fist”, the Cambridge dictionary defines
it as “to hit something repeatedly and with great force.” It
could only be “Sufficient Grace” that kept Paul from being
either confused or disheartened by the experience. Grapes
are delicious fruit, but grape juice - the ancients “Royal
Drink”, because of the concentration of sumptuous flavours,
is even more so, but what of the process? Grapes would be
crushed in special presses. Grape juice is transformed both
physically and chemically during extraction, processing, and
storage. Hebrews 12:11 eloquently expresses God’s purpose
for Paul’s buffeting, as it is for ours: “nevertheless afterward
it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them
which are exercised thereby.” “Sufficient Grace” makes a
child of the world into a Child of The King of Kings!
Providential buffeting transforms our spiritual weaknesses:
“the works of the flesh”, into “the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness, gentleness
and self-control.
Dear Master Potter, thank you for your methods for
making us Vessels of Honour- fit and clean, sanctified and
useful for your use. Teach us how to submit our wills to
your Perfect Will, make us as Holy as you are, for your
Glory, Honour and Praise, amen.
Article Index
List of available material (articles).
Additions