God’s Grace Is Sufficient

Years ago, someone deeply inflicted a wound to my heart. I suppose I responded the way that most people would: I was angry, bitter, and hurt, but circumstances didn’t allow me to take my frustration out on the person. So, I took it out on God.

I remember sitting on the phone with my dear friend, Angela, saying things about My Savior that should never be uttered aloud and of which I will not repeat. Angela miraculously (& annoyingly) met every complaint, every gripe, every angry word with these:

All I know is that God’s grace is sufficient.

Over and over and over again she repeated those words to me.

It was infuriating.

I really didn’t understand how it applied to my situation. And, honestly, on that particular day, and in that particular circumstance, I didn’t care.

Seven years have passed since Angela uttered those words to me.

Seven.
Years.

And I remember them as clearly as if it was yesterday.

Recently, I bumped into the person who inflicted that wound those many years ago, and all that hurt I thought was behind me came rushing back. Suddenly, I felt…

worthless…
unlovable…
disposable…
rejected…
abandoned…
and alone.

I was processing these feelings with another friend, and when he spoke, I could not believe the words coming out of his mouth:

God’s grace is sufficient for you, Nikol.

I’m serious. I can’t make this stuff up.

Needless to say, I’ve been praying over those words lately, but it wasn’t until I read a definition of grace on Jamie Harper’s blog that it snapped into crisp focus.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God.

How many times had I heard that definition?

Countless.

But on this particular day, and in this particular circumstance, it became very clear: Suddenly, “God’s grace is sufficient” became “The favor of God is sufficient for you, Nikol.”

Turns out, I had given this person the ability to determine my worth and that was wrong.

People are fickle.
They are broken.

They carry around their own disappointments;
their own baggage;
their own wounds.

Scripture tells us that God is the only one just in his judgments. And that God – the creator of everything in Heaven & Earth – is the one who has determined my worth. His grace – His unmerited favor – says that I am:

Valuable…
Lovable…
Irreplaceable…
Accepted…
Worthy…
Redeemed.

He will never mistreat me.
Never forsake me.
Never abandon me.

And that – it turns out – is more than sufficient.