Trusting In Our All-Sufficient God
Does anyone else need a word of encouragement today? I’m struggling with brain fog and fatigue caused by the anti-cancer medicine I’m taking. Attempts to put words together to share with you all today has been difficult. It’s left me feeling defeated and doubting my calling to further develop my writing ministry. While I was performing the mindless task of sorting through an old file cabinet, I asked the Lord to show me what He wanted me to say for today’s devotional. And then I came across this email I had printed out from my friend and former college prof, Dick Seymour and his Clarity Ministries International. It’s just what I needed to hear. I asked him if it would be okay to share it here. He was more than happy to oblige. I added the graphic. May you be encouraged as I was.
A Word from the Word
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
There are times in life one may feel defeated, beaten down, and without strength. This is never God’s way for us. When defeated one is not being led by Christ because “God…leads us in triumph in Christ.” During our difficult circumstances, God wants to be our strength and sufficiency so that we can spread the fragrance of Christ in every place.
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5
Paul the Apostle did not consider himself sufficient. Like Paul, we must trust Christ as the sufficient One and gain our strength from Him. As we do, Christ will lead us in triumph and use us to be an appealing and effective ambassador for Him.
A Question to Ponder
Am I living in defeat depending on my own strength — or am I being lead in triumph in Christ? Whom will I choose to trust for my sufficiency — myself or Him? Am I allowing Christ to lead me in such a way that I reflect His character and likeness to others?
And this is my prayer after reading Dick’s words:
Lord, help me to relinquish control of my life and be reliant on your strength and sufficiency, not my own. I want to live a triumphant life, not a life filled with my agenda and my way because Lord, it’s just not working. Help me to trust in your sufficiency as You lead me. Lord, I only want to be a reflection of You. I want to be a diffuser of Your fragrance. Help me. Teach me. Guide me. Amen.
Praying for you, Marsha. God is enough. David also struggled with confusing, hurtful circumstances. I always read his Psalms when I am low. They remind me others have faced troubles in mind and circumstance, but God gives the victory.
Thank you, Luwana. May main problem is brain fog right now due to medication. I’m looking into ways to overcome this symptom. God is so faithful and worthy to be praised and declared to others.
Praying for God to lead you and strengthen you Marsha. Sometimes I find myself short on words to write and doubt if I’m even making a difference and then ever so gently God reminds me it isn’t my words that make a difference, it is His!
Thank you for your encouraging words, Laurie. Between brain fog from medication and just plain being overwhelmed by all the moving I’ve done this year (selling and clearing out my Mom’s house, moving her to assisted living, and then our own move), I’m just feeling overwhelmed by “stuff”. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. I’m done with Mom’s place and I’m down to 10 boxes and I’m about to not even open them and just take them to the thrift store. I just don’t have room for one more thing to come through the door of the house and I’d like to be able to park my car in the garage! LOL
Thank you Marsha for the powerful message you have shared from your friend, and your prayer. I too have been living in a fog over the past year-and-a-half. My self-sufficiency has not worked either. May we both rely on Christ to see us through the fog and give us a clear vision.