His Grace is Sufficient
I’ve noticed that humans have a strange tendency to try to do everything alone, resisting help until it is absolutely necessary. For example, my co-workers will struggle to do a task that would be much easier for more than one person and, only when it’s apparent that they cannot possibly complete the task alone, they ask for help. I also see this attitude in myself with regards to my relationship with God. To me, this predisposition most clearly shows itself in the words “I’ve got this.”
To use my own life by way of example, the phrase “I’ve got this” reared its ugly head just two short weeks ago. While reading some Bible, I ran across one of the many warnings against gossip.1 Instead of heeding its warning and going to God in prayer about it, I thought to myself, “I’ve got this - I don’t ever gossip, I don’t need to pray about this.” Little did I know that God would use my proud, self-sufficient attitude to teach me a lesson.
The next day, I arrived at work just as another two of my co-workers were leaving. After I wished them a good evening and watched them leave, two of my other co-workers came by and we started talking. At first, the conversation was innocent enough - simple small talk - but it soon took a turn for the worse as we all started started gossiping about some of our other co-workers. Immediately after the conversation, my mind skipped to the previous night’s passage of scripture and my proud proclamation of “I’ve got this”. How foolish I felt!
As I continue running the race of life, the more I realize that all of my victories come from trusting completely in Jesus. Paul says it best in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The more I see my weakness, the more I see the need for Jesus’ strength. The attitude of “I’ve got this” is not sufficient for conquering the mountains of life - only Jesus can give me the strength necessary for scaling those difficulties. Another way I’ve come to look at this is through the words of John the Baptist in John 3:30:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
My trust in myself must decrease and my trust in Jesus must increase. He is the one called “Faithful and True” - He deserves all the glory, honour, and praise for all of the victories in my life as He is the one that enables me to be victorious.
Have you realized the weakness in your life? Have you felt like you just can’t do this on your own strength? His grace is sufficient for you too.
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1. Some examples: Romans 1:28-32 puts gossipers in the same category as sexual perverts and murderers. James 1:26 tells us that those who consider themselves religious and yet cannot control their tongue have worthless religion. 1 Peter 4:15 condemns murder, thievery, and gossip in the same breath.

