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Glacier National Park, Montana. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.
Daily Devotion

Sufficient Grace

Don't give up when trials come. God sees the whole picture when we can see only the pain.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

I thought the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have you said these words to yourself? Sometimes we come before our heavenly Father, thinking He’ll fix all our problems and ensure our happiness. Oftentimes, however, that’s not what we see in Scripture. For instance, the apostle Paul was a man the Lord used greatly, yet his life was anything but easy. (See 2 Cor. 11:24-28.)

At one point Paul thought his pain was too much to bear, and he begged God to remove it. There’s nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our suffering, but what do we do when He chooses not to? The promise God gave Paul applies to us as well: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9).

God’s grace is His provision for us in the middle of what’s hard. He sees the full picture when we can see only the pain. His goals for us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christlike character, and a faith that’s strong, even under pressure. As difficult as it is to accept, trials play a vital role in forming those things in us.

When we trust Christ in the struggle, each hardship becomes an opportunity for Him to display His character and strength—not just for us, but also through us.

Bible in One Year: John 8-9