Holding Out Under God’s Grace

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“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Take heart. What was designed to take you out will ultimately make you stronger. Trust how God is bringing you through what you're going through. (Go ahead and read that again.) God could change things for you in an instant. But if He isn't working it out that way, be content with knowing that He's got a reason and it is good.

God's got a reason for taking His time and making you feel every single bump and scrape along this leg of your journey. God's way of pruning us can seem unfair, tedious, inconvenient, and harsh. You might even think your time of pruning should be over by now. Yet, here you are...here WE are: battle worn, bruised, embarrassed, vulnerable, shaken-- and bothered about it.

God gets it. He knows it's not an easy road. He also knows it's the best road for us because it will lead us to the blessed destination that He has reserved for us. God sees what we can't see. He knows what He has to work out of us so that He can work in us and through us. And He knows how long it will take. There's an choir song lyric that says "Lord, help me to hold out...until my change has come." This is a fitting prayer set to a melody that we can have in our hearts as we call on God to help us hold out until our current trial is over.