My Grace Is Sufficient for You!

We understand that grace is not only for the forgiveness of our sins—but it is also the help that we can receive from God to be saved from the sin hiding in our human nature. For example, by nature we easily exalt ourselves and can easily have high thoughts about ourselves when things succeed just a little bit for us. And then it is not always so easy for us to see ourselves—to see “that evil is present with me,” who by God’s grace has done something good. Rom. 7:21.

Jesus wants to save us to the uttermost from this “evil”! Heb. 7:25. But He can only do this to the degree that we acknowledge the truth about ourselves. When we defend ourselves and hide behind our “good intentions,” it is not so easy for Him to save us from the things clinging to our nature. It is for this reason that it is difficult for a “righteous one” to be saved. 1 Pet. 4:17.

But, a “righteous one” can be saved if he understands God’s ways with him. Peter says that we should not be amazed about the fiery trial “among you.” V. 12. [Afrikaans]. The fire among us is a tremendous help to see myself and come to the acknowledgment of the “evil” in me, which is in my flesh.

Paul had first-hand experience with this. He met a fiery trial in the form of a “messenger of Satan buffeting him.” 2 Cor. 12:7-8. We don’t know what it was—but most likely it was not somebody beating him physically, but it could be that things were said that were very painful to Paul. At first, he could not understand why. After pleading with Jesus three times to intervene, Jesus gave him light about himself, showing him his weakness—how easily he could exalt himself when he received revelations and when he was used by God. Paul then understood how much he needed these “blows”—to become nothing in his own eyes!

He humbled himself so deeply under God’s mighty hand that God’s grace was sufficient to set him free from exalting himself! And when we suffer unto bloodshed and die to ourselves and to our own ego, the “blows” can no longer harm us nor cause any pain! We can be saved to the uttermost, to such a degree that we have full rest in God—never exalting ourselves in honor or good report and never being downcast or anxious in dishonor and evil report! Chapter 6:1-10.

Paul acknowledged that he needed whatever God sent his way, to be saved from this “evil.” He humbled himself so deeply under God’s hand, that God’s grace was more than enough and sufficient for him—so much so that he took “pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.” Chapter 12:10. And the power of Christ rested upon him! And it will be the same for us, if only we humble ourselves thoroughly under God’s mighty hand in whatever we meet in life.