When God's grace overflows...

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
​~ 2 Corinthians 12:8 -10
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For years I have heard this statement, "The will of God will never lead me to a place where God's grace won't sustain me."

I sat under this tree this morning with one of my hospice patients that is developmentally disabled. Over the past few months I have become her "friend."

Our visit always begins with me handing her a pack of Wrigleys Double Mint Gum. I've learned that to her this gum is "good." "I like it when you come. You bring me gum."

Today she noticed my mouth as we talked. "What happened to you?" she asked.

As I tried to explain what happened, she stopped me and said, "You know that God loves you so much more right now because you are weak. God loves us so much when we are weak."

An overwhelming urge to cry made me look to the sky. Instead I noted how the Spanish moss seems to wave at us in the breeze.

"It is okay to be weak. I am weak a lot," she shared.

"And God loves me a lot."

"Yes, God does," I responded.

God's incredible grace is not just sufficient. It overwhelms us while ushering in goodness and mercy.

We sat under this tree, silent. Just watching as squirrels chased one another and birds sang of the beautiful day. There are those moments in your life when you can't help but hear the faint echo of those original words, "It is good," being pronounced by the Creator. Those words are still present. They have never left us.

In our pursuit of other things we have lost the ability to hear them, and then, while sitting in the sun on a beautiful day, they seem to resound in a sacred moment.

Today the grace of God is more than sufficient. In weakness there is the reminder of God's powerful presence and that God loves each of us, especially when we are weak.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2018