Sufficient

2 Corinthians 3:5 - "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God".

The word "sufficient" means - enough to meet a need or a purpose

I sure do love this verse and the reminder that it leaves with me: I CANNOT DO ANYTHING ON MY OWN! In my own strength, I find often that I am weak. When I am not satisfied in Christ, then I am not satisfied at all. Thank God that he knows we are weak, and meets our needs every time! Scripture promises that he does not forsake us or leave us!

Furthermore in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Paul writes: "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Some of you reading this may know that last October through about mid-January I struggled with some pretty intense anxiety/panic attacks. I thought everything was wrong with me and stayed in bed for most of the time. I would go to the doctor at least once a month in this time frame because I seriously thought something was wrong with me...but there wasn't. This all made me realize that I do not hold myself together, Christ does. He is the sustainer of my life and the things that happen to it. He alone is SUFFICIENT to supply all my needs. He keeps my heart beating and my lungs filled with air. I absolutely can say that I did not trust the Lord in this season of life. I felt like He was not in control of anything and ultimately, the root of the problem was that I did not trust in Him. We are not sufficient in ourselves! Through all of that this is what I learned: Through my weakness, God was glorified because it gave me proof and a reason to trust in Him even more! As I said above, He is sufficient in supplying the needs for my life such as keeping my heart beating and alive. Through this experience I can boast in the fact that Christ was glorified through it.

When we are weak, we are made strong! What an encouragement to think that God is enough for us...even in our weakest points. The Lord has graciously shown me lately that trusting in Him and believing in faith that His word is true are keys to being satisfied in Him. Christ is glorified and exalted when through our weakness, his glory shines and his work is displayed. When we are weak, all pride goes out the window. Here we realize that we can not do anything on our own. We must humble ourselves!

Acts 17:24-24 - "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."

God is the Creator of all things. He himself is sufficient. Today the pastor at church said this: "We ourselves are not the resource of all things, but we are connected to the resource of all things".
Christ makes us sufficient to others because he himself is sufficient.


Praise God that he meets our needs! Praise God that His power is displayed in our weaknesses because we can not do it on our own!! Praise God that he meets us in our weaknesses and struggles to show his glory through our lives. He is the sustainer of all things...and in this my soul rejoices today! : )