2 Corinthians 12:8-10
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
For as long as I can remember I have been a positive person. Depression has never been an enemy that I had to encounter. When I tell people that I am doing great, they doubt it and seem to feel that I am not being honest with them. This has been the case with caring for a wife with dementia. We have had wonderful support from family and friends, but often it is just me and Joyce. These have been precious times that I cherish.
There have been several who want to protect me and have suggested that it is too much for us and that we need to consider placement in a care facility or bring in outside help to take some of the load.
This evening I was cleaning up in the kitchen and today’s Scripture came to me. When the Lord told Paul that His grace was sufficient for the thorn that Paul experienced, how did he respond? He did not call in the cavalry troops to help—he went right on doing what he was called to do in faith that God’s grace was sufficient.
I thank God that He has given me strength and guidance to keep on keeping on. I intend to do just that very thing and like Paul I do it with delight!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil