Daily Devotional: Impact

Right now, Pastor Wil and I are co-teaching the students a series about the questions and doubts that we all have at one time or another. In our most recent video, we talked about the fact that God doesn’t always answer our questions the way that we want (if you’d like to see this video click here).

While studying for this teaching I was especially impacted by Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12. In verse 7 Paul says that he has a “thorn in the flesh.” Though we don’t know exactly what this means, we know that it’s something that Paul wanted to be rid of. Verse 8 reads, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” The great Apostle Paul asked God a rather simple request. The answer he hoped for was certainly for God to do as he requested, but instead we see the answer in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you…” In other words, Jesus was telling Paul that he didn’t need that “thorn” removed.

If you’re like me, you’ve often come to God with what you think you need. More often than not, it might feel like God sees things differently than we do because He doesn’t seem to always answer our requests how we think He should. The truth is, God really does see things differently than we do. Remember the words of God in Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

There are countless examples of times I am so glad God didn’t give me the answer I thought I needed. However, if I’m honest, there are also times where I still don’t understand why God didn’t do as I requested. Why did the good thing I ask for not take place and the bad thing I wanted to avoid happen instead? I don’t know. What I do know is that God is good. Always. No matter what happens, despite my circumstances, despite how things might appear, God is still good. Whatever I face, even if my most basic needs aren’t meant, I would still have all I need because His grace is sufficient.

There are questions and issues that we will have to wrestle with, there will be times of difficulty and hardship, but one thing we can always rest in is the fact that we have all we truly need in Him. We may not have all we want, or even all we need while on this earth, but we have all we need when it comes to eternity. His grace is sufficient.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.