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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Surprises! This past year, for a lot of us, surprises were not limited to the news, as you read about a changing world. For some of you, those surprises were not always welcomed. A position opened up in your company, and you expressed an interest in it. But when your boss interviewed you, he told you not only that management had decided not to fill that position, but that the company was eliminating your job as well. Surprise!
Your phone rang one evening just after you had gone to bed, and as you groped to find the phone, you thought, “Who in the world is calling at this hour?” It was a friend telling about the death of a family member. Surprised? Yes, you never thought it would happen, but it did.
After a long business trip, you’ve come home and you’ve discovered a thick manila envelope came in the mail. The return address is that of an attorney. You squint at the name, and as you rip it open you’re thinking, “I wonder who he is?” Doesn’t take long to find out. You soon discover that you are being sued by a business associate whom you thought was a friend. Surprise!
How do you handle those unwelcomed surprises?
Psychologists call it “coping.” Some of us think of it as “rolling with the punches.” With resignation others say, “Well, that’s life!” But when unexpected surprises come your way, you will do one of two things: you will fight them and become bitter, or you will reach out for the grace of God and become better because of what you have endured.
What is this commodity of the heart called “grace”? In simple terms, it is the help of God that enables you to cope with the pain and unwelcomed surprises of life.
Long ago, Paul faced many unwelcome surprises, things that he didn’t deserve and certainly didn’t ask for; yet, he seemed to welcome them. In responding to what Paul termed “a thorn in the flesh,” he said, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
I’ve discovered that God gives grace to help us cope with the surprises of life which we neither expect nor think we deserved. I’ve also learned that while grace is available, tapping into it or accepting it isn’t always easy. Bitterness and anger seem to bottle its flow. And a certain measure of humility is necessary for me to bite the bullet and say, “Okay, Lord, this surprise is more than I can handle. I need your help!”
Remember the words of Jesus, who said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3)? Poverty of spirit is when you have depleted your resources, when your charm, your money, and your connections will no longer be good enough to get you out of your jam. That’s when you need God, friend. His grace is the only thing in the world that can counter some of the harsh blows that hit us undeservedly in life.
“When I am weak,” said Paul, “then I am strong.” When unwelcomed surprises confront you, find God’s grace, and you will also find His strength to cope. It is well worth discovering.
Resource Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-21
