grace in the valley

2 Corinthains 12:5-10
5 About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 6 Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me 7 because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 10 Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

His grace is sufficient... even for my weakness. that one thing that i cannot get rid of... that sin that i will battle for my entire life.
people have those. they're usually personality traits that we display sinfully. like, if you have a tendency to be a good leader, good at planning, and always seeing the positive outcome, even before you begin... you probably have a problem being trusting and patient.
i do.
if i -can- do it myself... why not? i'll do it better anyways, right? well, maybe when it comes to making my bed the right way, but in every important thing in my life, my planning is insufficient and my trust is in my own, inadequate, misrepresented self.

but His grace, HIS grace is sufficient. He is sufficient beyond my own human constraints. even though, for the rest of my life, i will have to choose every day to trust in Him, He has more than enough grace to help me do that.
and for every day i try to do it on my own, He has more than enough grace (and patience) to show me my inadequacies and the superiority of His abundant grace.

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

in the valley of my weakness, Your great power is revealed.

selah

EM