Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)
Paul encountered many unbelievably difficult situations. When he asked God to take away a particularly stubborn problem, God told Paul that His grace was all that was needed. Through this experience, Paul came to accept God’s help willingly because it gave him an excuse to boast about Christ Jesus!
As a believer, of course it is important to work hard, learn and grow in wisdom—but grace (God’s favour, power and ability) is the foundation for it all. If you don’t believe you have His ability and power, life gets hard. You try to do what you think God wants you to do, but don’t experience His power to do it.
Living without God’s grace is like trying to drive your car without gas. You may be able to get your car from point A to point B without gas—but it takes a lot of pushing and hard effort to make that happen. Keeping it filled with gas makes your life a lot easier!
You tap into His power and ability when you believe. Without this trust, life becomes difficult. A lot of effort is required—and the results are still not guaranteed.
If you have been able to get by on your own abilities, you may struggle to rely on God’s grace. But regardless of how amazing you are, you need God. When you come across a situation where nothing in your power appears to be working, trust that God has made you strong.