Living as a believer often confronts us with a choice: will we rely on our own strength, or fully depend on God’s grace? The Apostle Paul is a real example of someone who learned that all his achievements meant nothing compared to the grace of Christ.
Paul actually had many reasons to boast. He was educated, a Pharisee, and known to be influential among the Jews. But after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus, his perspective changed completely.
In Philippians 3:7-8 he writes, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” For Paul, grace was far greater than achievement.
Moreover, Paul experienced a severe personal struggle, which he referred to as a “thorn in the flesh.” He prayed for the Lord to remove it, but the answer he received was different.
2 Corinthians 12:9 records, “But the Lord said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will rather
I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” This is Paul’s secret: he discovered
true strength is actually when he is weak.
Often we think that to be used by God, we must be strong, great, or without weakness.
But Paul shows that what God seeks is not human perfection, but a heart that depends on His grace. Human strength has its limits, but God’s grace is unlimited.
When Paul faced challenges in ministry, he continued to move forward not because of his own ability, but because grace sustained him.
That is what enabled him to say in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Everything he did, all the success in his ministry, was solely because of the Lord’s grace.
Relying on grace means acknowledging that we cannot walk on our own. We need God’s power in our work, ministry, family, and even in our personal weaknesses. And it is precisely in this dependence that we find unshakable peace.
Today, let us learn from Paul. No longer lean on your limited own strength, but trust in the Lord’s grace that never fails.
Lord, thank You because Your grace is sufficient for me. Forgive me when I often rely on my own strength. Teach me to always depend on You, so that in my weakness Your power may be revealed. Amen.
