Grief + Grace = Glory

II Corinthians 12:7-10 "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 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."

Grief + Griping = Gloom...this tends to be the equation that fits in most people's lives. It has been in my life before. But I'm happy to say that grief + grace DOES = glory. I've let God's grace enter into my life in the last year and I can say "GLORY!!!". I have experienced the glory in the midst of my grief. Praise the Lord!!!

II Corinthians 11:23-30 These are too many verses for me to quote here but I encourage you to go and read these passages of Scripture. If we had gone through even a little of what Paul had gone through...some of us would turn our backs on God. But God's grace got him through. Many of us reject God's grace and stay home from church when they have a headache or sore throat...yet they will go to work with the same ailment. It takes God's grace to get through such things as what Paul experienced. Nothing BUT God's grace.

II Corinthians 12:7-8 "...a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me." Paul had a thorn in his flesh and he asked God three times to take it from him. But God chose not to remove it but rather to give him the grace to endure. God's grace is MORE than sufficient. We need to remember that "no" is still an answer. He will not always say "yes". If God says "no" then He has something better ahead because of that "no".

God's grace is unlimited. It is not only enough but it is more than enough. God's grace cannot be found in a bottle, a pill or a psychiatrist. God's grace ONLY comes from God. It is a greater and more perfect fix than any of the fixes that this world tries to get. At the end of Paul's life he did not say he quit the race or that he gave up the fight. He said he finished his course. He knew the Source of his comfort.

God's grace IS sufficient. It's not was...it's not gonna be...it's not might be...IT IS!!! God IS!!! Verse 9 "...My grace is sufficient..." That means has been...is now...and is going to be in the future. If you have a thorn...God may choose to leave it in our life but God will give grace to us as we see God leave it there.