II Timothy 2:1 “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

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There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to complete a job without the right tools. Have you ever tried loosening bolts without the right wrench? Or maybe doing a whole job with hand tools and not power tools. The first few bolts may seem easy but after sometime your hands, wrists, and forearms start giving away.

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We find throughout the Bible that God wants us to be strong, to be soldiers, to not be weak and frail, but to persevere and endure through the trials and hardships of life. It would be one thing for God to send us out into this life with nothing more than a command to be strong, because I believe there are a lot of mentally strong people. Everyone in this life will face hardships and trials regardless of their beliefs and lifestyle. But God has not just left us on this earth with a mere command, He has left us with a supplement and an aid for us to be strong a persevere. We know it as grace, God’s grace, the ability to do what God wants us to do. God’s riches at Christ’s expense. How often do we find ourselves like that technician seeing how far we can get through a job on our own wit, ability, and strength, only to find ourselves worn out and worn down because we failed to utilize the tools God puts in our reach.

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How strong are you in God’s grace? We really don’t know until we go through a trial and ask God for His grace. We are often amazed when we see a fellow sister or brother go through a trial in a Christ honoring way, but really they just unlocked a new measure of God’s grace.

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I know it’s easier said than done, but we must thank the Lord for the opportunities life presents us with and seek a renewed or new level of strength in the Lord’s grace.  

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II Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”