His Grace is Sufficient

My friend Michelle is having her second round of brain surgery this morning.  Some of you might remember when I wrote about her brain tumor in a March post.  She had a two week old and was diagnosed with a baseball sized tumor.  They were able to remove half of the tumor then, but they wanted to wait to do the rest.  The growth of the tumor has been faster than they thought, and she started experiencing the headaches, forgetfulness and confusion she had before.  So Michelle is back in surgery again today to remove the rest of the tumor. 

The good news is that Michelle found out the tumor is benign back in January.  The best news is that Michelle is a strong Christian with her hope and trust in Christ Jesus.  She knows that God's plans for her are best for her spiritual growth and for God's glory.  She also has a Christian husband who is leading her in love and dependence on God.

Yesterday she wrote an amazing blog post about JOY in the trial she is facing.  She has three young children and is facing brain surgery, but she is finding joy by seeking God in the trial He has allowed in her life.  Scripture, church friends, family, and the Holy Spirit are ministering to her in amazing ways, and she is able to have an eternal perspective even in such hard circumstances.

If you are facing a trial today, remember that God provides for His children when they seek Him.  If your eyes are only on yourself and the difficulties of your situation, it will be very hard to find peace, joy and contentment.  When we read scripture, pray, and seek God, we find that he pours grace out all the more when we are struggling. 

Make a list of His blessings and faithfulness to you.  Keep a thanks list of all the encouragement He brings into your day--scriptural truths, sermons you hear, friends he send to you who reach out with encouragement, answers to prayer, and provision you didn't expect. 

For instance, when my husband was looking for a job last year, God kept anything from breaking or needing repair in our home.  We didn't even have a broken sprinkler during that time!  I could overlook that, or I could recognize God was taking homeowner responsibility and financial burdens off our plate while He allowed us to wait on Him for a job and an income.  That is just ONE small example of the grace he poured into our lives as He grew us in trusting Him.

Seek God.  He gives us grace, and His grace is more than sufficient for the trial you are facing.  Will you join me in praying for Michelle and her family? 

 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in 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."
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)