I would be lying if I said that 2009 was an easy year.
God ended the year with profound proof of His faithfulness…the birth of our beautiful daughter, Sarah, on December 30. She’s healthy and whole and wonderful.
Still, the months leading up to that moment were difficult and confusing and overwhelming.
I think that we, as believers, often think that being with Jesus is the safest place to be…that we should somehow be exempt from disappointments and devastation. One of my favorite books, Not a Safe God, by Tim Riter addresses some of the more difficult teachings of Jesus. I love this quote…
We’ve made God comfortable. But if we take Him seriously, He’ll overturn our current lifestyles.
We want a comfortable God, don’t we? We want to be followers of Christ, but still enjoy a life of ease and personal freedom. We are offended when trials come our way.
Unfortunately, life is just that way…filled with trials, hardships and disappointments.
I love the writing and teaching of Paul. He just seems to have had it all together.
I’ve been reading in 2 Corinthians and am in awe of all that he endured for the cause of Christ. He seems almost…superhuman…
He endured beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, robbers, deceitful brethren…and on and on. Yet, the part that touched me…
in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often… – 2 Corinthians 11:27
Paul felt weary…tired. He had nights…often…where sleep was elusive. And, with all that he endured for the cause of Christ, there was something…something that he pleaded with the Lord to remove. Yet, the Lord did not. If anyone was deserving of having a prayer answered…surely it was he.
That is the flaw in our logic, however…that anyone is deserving of anything good.
Concerning this thing…those are Paul’s words. He pleaded with the Lord for mercy…pleaded with the Lord to remove this thorn in the flesh…this thing that caused him pain. I’m certain that we could, without giving it a second thought, name our thorn in the flesh. We all have something that has proved to be a source of pain…something that we have begged the Lord to remove…or to give…or to change. I know that I could quite easily name mine.
Yet, I have been forced to ask myself many times in recent months…What if the Lord never provides that specific thing? He didn’t for Paul. Paul was told that the grace of the Lord was sufficient.
I am enough. That is what I have continually heard God whisper in my ear. To be honest, at times, it has infuriated me. At times, it has comforted me.
Concerning this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord…And He has said to me…I am enough.


















