Grace in Weakness

Lately it feels like bad news permeates my little corner of the world, trickling in from friends and people in my life who I love. Someone has lost a loved one; another has learned of cancer; yet another is suffering from marital trouble. It is clearly a season where people are struggling, grieving, trying to put one foot in front of the other. Add onto that our national and global problems and I find it pretty easy to get pulled into the quagmire of sadness. There has never been a more crucial time to pray.

I wrote a friend an email today and in it offered my thoughts and prayers for her. I promised to be praying for her specific situation–her mom has been diagnosed with cancer and her family is still lacking answers to serious questions. Will she suffer much? What specific type of cancer is it? How long does she have to live? These are queries that cause circumstances to sit unsettled. They cannot rest because they don’t know. And they can’t find out until another infection is cleared. It is soul-rumbling, angst-inducing, and raw. My heart hurts knowing she is going through this.

In my letter I promised to pray for God’s will to reign in the hearts of her and her family. It’s a prayer I utter for myself daily. To be at peace today, right now, in God’s will… no matter what the next moment brings. Could I manage that with my mom suffering from cancer? It is a question I often wonder and pray if I’m ever tested in such a way that I would respond in faith.

Along the same lines, I’ve been thinking often of the family of Hannah Graham, the missing UVA student. How their hearts must sit in anguish as they wait for news of their daughter and sister.  They have endless questions. They ache in her absence. Will there ever be answers or moments of peace? Lord, please have Mercy on this dear family. I cannot imagine the trial they are facing, but once again wonder how I would fare in their situation. Could I muster faith even the size of a mustard seed?

God calls me to His Word:

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  2 Cor. 12:9

I am reminded here that weakness is okay, in fact, it’s encouraged. When we bow in humility, we let it all hang out. We stop trying to do everything ourselves. We quit attempting to make everything perfect. We are broken and weak and as a result, fully open to the love of a Savior. In our weakness, His Strength is magnified and we are in awe of His Glory. Alleluia!

His Hope is Eternal. His Grace is Sufficient. His Sacrifice is as real today as it was 2,000 years ago. We need to cling to Him–our Hope, our Grace, our Peace in the moment. God bless.