“My Grace is Sufficient.”
By R. F. Cotterill
MANY read this passage wrong: My grace shall be sufficient for thee. They seem to understand that the Lord has promised that his grace shall be sufficient for every trial we may meet. But the declaration is, My grace is sufficient for thee. What is the meaning? The apostle had had an abundance of revelations, on account of which he was in danger of exaltation. To prevent this, the Lord had permitted bodily infirmity to come upon him to keep him humble. He prayed that this might be removed. But if this petition should be granted, he would be exalted, and lose the favor of God. It was better for him to retain the favor or grace of God, even at the expense of continuing to suffer in the flesh, than to have the suffering removed, and, by its removal, suffer the loss of God's favor. As if he said, Be content to suffer in the flesh, for by this suffering you retain my favor. My favor is sufficient to counterbalance and far outweigh all that you are called to suffer. You are the gainer by what you deprecate as an evil. It keeps you from losing the favor of God—a greater loss and more grievous misfortune.