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.

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