The Sufficiency of God’s Grace

Last Sunday I was out for a walk with a young man I regularly meet with and he asked me what I thought about Jesus having a sense of humor. I told him I didn’t know about his sense of humor, but I did know that Jesus was full of joy! If there was ever a person who could be dead serious with every word he spoke, and at the same time exude a contagious joy and freedom, it was Jesus. My favorite picture of Jesus is one of laughter – never at anyone’s expense – but like water shooting up from a fountain, happy and compelled to share that joy with the world.

Then I think of God calling a fearful introvert to come and minister his grace to 500 students and over 100 staff at Rift Valley Academy. How can God not have a sense of humor! And yet, it’s deeper than that. Every day I’m here has been an opportunity to experience the sufficiency of God’s grace, in very tangible, minute-by-minute ways.

Just before having to preach a particularly hard message last week, a high school friend of Tiana sang the song “I Am Not Alone” by Kari Jobe. I am not alone, You will go before me, You will never leave me. And I sat there with tears in my eyes, “That’s right, God. I depend on that. I can’t do this alone. If you don’t go before me, if you leave me, I have nothing. I am nothing. I trust you Lord. Speak through me today.” And I went up with confidence in him, not in myself, leaving the results to the work of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t feel God has given me an overwhelming supply of gifting in communication or leadership or administration. So that means each time I preach, lead a devotional or meeting, teach a Sunday School class, meet with a young man for discipleship, counsel an individual or couple, help with sponsoring the 8th grade class, lead our small group, or just learn how to enjoy people coming in and out of our home regularly as an introvert, I must put 2 Corinthians 12:9 to the test. Will God’s grace be sufficient this time? Will I have what it takes to do this? Will he be shown to be glorious and powerful and loving in my weakness? Or will I just look like a fool?

I often wish I had greater gifting in some areas. I wish I didn’t feel so needy so often. I do fail. And I’m sure I sometimes look like a fool. But I know God has me where he wants me. I know he is using me in my weakness, to show his beauty and strength. And because I know I don’t have the needed resources in myself, he keeps me depending on him. I wouldn’t have chosen this as the path to true joy, for there is often a mix of sorrow (2 Corinthians 6:10) and hardship, but I love where God has put me here at RVA, needing him every hour. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Does God have a sense of humor? All I know is that when I look into the face of Jesus I see fullness of joy, pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11) and an endless supply of grace for my need.