Stretched to the Limit

             I have not purchased any rubber bands for quite some time. I usually find a rubber around something almost every other day. I get them wrapped around my celery and I get them wrapped around my broccoli.  In a short time, we have a little plastic baggie filled with these rubber bands.  I recently opened a rather large bag of flour and decided to close it with one of those rubber bands.  It looked like it was going to be rather tight, but I kept on stretching it and finally it snapped.  I almost got it around the bag, but I had gone beyond the breaking point for the rubber band.  There are times when we have the same feeling in our spiritual lives.  We feel as if we are at the breaking point and that one more thing is going to make us snap.  Fortunately for us, God has a remedy for this situation.  Second Corinthians 12:9 says, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."   

         The Apostle Paul had also come to the breaking point.  At least, he thought he had by having this particular thorn in the flesh attacking him.  Life may have been a lot easier for Paul if he didn't have this particular thorn. After all, he was now doing the Lord's work and things perhaps would go a lot smoother if he didn't have this thorn. But God had another purpose for Paul and there were some lessons that he needed to have in his life. He had prayed to the Lord three times to have it removed but the Lord informed him that He was not going to do it.  Instead, God made him realize that he was going to be able to get through the difficulty just due to the fact of God's grace.  There have been many people in the past who have wondered just how they were going to get through something only to find that they indeed did get through it one day at a time.  Undoubtedly, things changed in their lives.  One good example is the life of Joni Erickson.  She was a healthy young lady who suddenly found herself completely paralyzed as a result of a diving accident.  But, if she had not had that accident, chances are you would never have heard about her or seen her work, or heard her speak.  God's grace is always sufficient for whatever problem we might have.  Things will not always proceed just the way they were before, but God's grace will always be sufficient and you will get through it.  There are many people, and you may be one of them, who are going through some difficult circumstances in your life but God has not abandoned you and sometimes your requests to Him are answered by no or you may need to wait a bit longer. One thing for sure. God's grace is sufficient.   So, praise God today for His abundant grace and for the fact that this grace will meet all of our needs today and everyday.