Sufficient grace

Two days before I left for the Village, I sensed the Spirit lead me to 2 Corinthians 12. I studied it in my quiet time, despite not knowing why it was this verse He wanted me to meditate on. Then, on my second night at LIV, my mom sent me the same verse as encouragement. I began to understand what the Lord was calling me to: a constant, total dependency on His grace, and His grace alone.

We have had our Orientation Week. We’ve hiked. Swum in dams. Built rafts. We’ve toured the Village, served at Youth social night (on Friday), and have spent the days mostly doing manual labour. We’ve slowly started learning everyone’s names, had our first Cluster Church (which is church in smaller gatherings), and gone for early morning runs when the weather is a little cooler. We’ve eaten chocolate cake with other long-term volunteers, made dinner for a Swedish volunteer, and welcomed a YWAM creative group from America. There have been pockets of great fun!

But my first week at LIV has also been incredibly challenging. Firstly, I underestimated just how much I’d miss home—the small joys of being with my family, and the comfort of a familiar place and routine. The simple, slower lifestyle here is vastly different to the one I have known (and grown quite comfy in) at home. Secondly, I have found myself longing for the past when I get into bed at the end of the day. I relive the sweet memories from my life with my friends in Stellenbosch. Lastly, there are frogs everywhere. For as long as I can remember, I have had the worst fear of frogs, and regardless of how irrational the phobia might be, it overwhelms me with terror! So all-in-all I feel as though I have been stripped of any comfort I have ever known.

But here is what I have learnt from Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 (that I hope might encourage you too, in whatever challenges you are facing in your own life):

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the LORD 3 times…

Paul took his problem to the Wonderful Counsellor—to God, Himself. God longs to show the power of His love, goodness and grace towards us.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness…

Instead of removing the thorn from Paul’s life, God gave His grace which was sufficient to meet Paul’s every need, and He also strengthened Paul under the load.  

When I am weak, then I am strong…

Paul sees this situation (his weakness; his thorn) as a place of victory, not discouragement. He welcomes the thorn; he rejoices that God has forced him to rely on the strength of His grace. Even though his thorn was a messenger of Satan, God had a purpose in it all. Spurgeon comments that, “[Paul] says ‘There was given to me.’ He reckoned his great trial to be a gift.” This thorn wasn’t punishment; it created  space for God to show His divine strength in Paul.

This surprisingly makes me even more grateful for this period. I might not feel the joy now, or see the whole picture clearly. But I know that He turns all things to good. I know that He is a loving Father. I know that He has brought me here, so He will help me through it. I know that He has an intentional, sovereign purpose for this all. I know that He is a kind refiner. And I am steadily learning that only when I am emptied can I be filled. Only when I know myself to be nothing am I ready for God to work through me.

For You, God, tested us;

You refined us like silver.

[…]

but You brought us to a place of

abundance.

(Psalm 66)