His Grace IS Sufficient

I've started reading a daily devotional written by a dear friend of mine. It's called Let's Take a Walk Together. I am really enjoying it because I feel like I am right there with her as she is sharing her thoughts about God. One of the wonderful things I like about it, is if I miss a day, it's not a problem - it's not dated. So I just pick up where I left off. And the LORD certainly knows that I needed to read what I read today.

It's day 42 and the topic is Law or Love? As I am reading through I begin to weep. She tells the story of a man who hires a housekeeper. He places a list of things on the refrigerator that he requires her to do. She diligently does them every day. As time goes on the two fall in love and are married. After they are married he removes the list, but she continues to do all that was put on it. He asks her why she continues to do all those things though she doesn't have to now that she is married to him. She tells him, "Before I did it for the paycheck, but now I do it because I love you."

I was checked in my spirit. "Why do I do the things I do for God? And why do I feel guilty if I don't?" Don't get me wrong, I do love my LORD and I truly do want to do things for Him. BUT if I don't do them (or what I feel people would have me do) I have great shame. That's not right. Yes, if I sin against Him, I need to confess that and get right with Him, but the doing things for God? He wants me to do them out of love.

I suffer from fybromyalgia (FM). I had been doing fairly well for the past couple of years, but within the past 3 months it's like I've been hit with it all over again. There is severe constant pain and no strength at all. I bring this up now because as I was reading the devotional this morning, it hit me: I felt like God was using the FM as a judgement against me for not being obedient.

As I continued reading, I realized this was a lie. I knew it wasn't true, but I have been living that way. My God does not work that way. All my sins, past, present and future have been taken care of by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross. I no longer have any judgements coming against me from God. He has forgiven me because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Will I continue to suffer from FM? Absolutely, but knowing it is not a judgement but something that God has allowed in my life to draw me closer to Him, changes my outlook. I can truly say with the Apostle Paul, "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." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

His love for me is incomprehensible as is His grace. And this has made me thankful. The thing is now to continue to be thankful for what He is doing and rest in His care. I've got to let go of the cares of this world and soley concentrate on Him. He is all that matters.