You Don't Have To Hold It All Together
“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.”
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
My mind was spinning with everything I had to do: overdue tasks, upcoming deadlines, and the pressure to be everything for everyone. I was exhausted but trying to power through, hoping I could catch up if I just pushed a little harder.
The next morning, I awoke to a whisper I couldn’t unhear: “My grace is sufficient.”
This simple truth comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9, which wasn’t a new Bible verse to me. I’ve heard it, quoted it, and even encouraged others with it. But that morning, it landed in my heart like a fresh revelation. I’ve learned that the Holy Spirit has a way of highlighting a truth right when you need it most, even before you know you need it. So I paused and leaned in.
When I looked up the full verse, I was struck by Paul’s words: “But [Jesus] 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” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I don’t know about you, but weakness isn’t something I tend to boast about. Most of us are taught to push through, stay strong, and hold it all together. But Paul delighted in hardship. Not because he enjoyed suffering but because he had learned the secret: When we come to the end of ourselves, we come face-to-face with the sufficiency of God's grace.
As I reflected on this scripture, I realized how weak I was feeling. But God wasn’t asking me to push harder. He was calling me to surrender, to stop measuring my strength and start trusting His.
That’s what I call the upside-down beauty of grace. It doesn’t show up when we’re “crushing it” in life; it shows up when we’re crushed. When we’re out of options, energy, and motivation. When we’ve tried to hold everything together and finally admit we can’t. Grace isn’t God’s reward for the capable; it’s His gift to the weary.
If you’re in that place today - tired, stretched thin, unsure how to keep going - I want you to hear what I heard: You don’t have to keep going in your own strength. Not for one more minute. God is not disappointed by your weakness. He’s drawn to it because His power is made perfect right there.
Whatever burdens you may be facing, remember the pressure is off. God’s grace is sufficient, and Christ’s power is waiting to rest on you.
Father, thank You that Your grace is not a backup plan - it’s the main source of my strength. Thank You for meeting me right in my weakness and not expecting me to have it all together. Help me to stop striving and start surrendering. Teach me to see my limits not as failures but as invitations to experience Your power. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Dr. Avril Occilien-Similien
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"This world is getting darker and darker, but the Light of My Presence is as bright as ever. In fact, the Light of My Glory shines even more brightly against the darkness of evil. When My Goodness crashes into worldly evil, look out! There will be miracles! I will show My Power and Might and Goodness in this world. Rejoice in My Name - no matter what is happening. Use My Name - Jesus - as a whispered prayer, as a praise, as a protection. It never loses its power."
"Happy are the people who know how to praise you. Lord, let them live in the light of your presence. In your name they rejoice all the time. They praise your goodness."
- Psalm 89:15-16
- Jesus Today for Kids by Sarah Young
God's Light Is In You
Some weeks feel heavier than others. The kind where no matter how much you pray, the darkness seems thicker. You feel the weight pressing on your chest, the thoughts swirling in your mind, and the quiet whisper that tells you you are losing ground. It feels like Satan himself is trying to snuff out the light within you, trying to convince you that you have no strength left to keep going. But that is what he does. He cannot create light, so he tries to cover it. He cannot destroy love, so he tries to drain it. He cannot take away your purpose, so he tries to make you doubt it. His goal is not always to make you fall, sometimes it is simply to make you tired enough to stop standing.
Do not let him. You are not walking through this darkness alone. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. The light of God does not go out when life gets dark. It burns quieter, deeper, steadier. Even when you cannot see it, it is still there. God’s light in you is not fragile. It does not flicker at the sound of fear. It is eternal, unbreakable, and untouchable by the enemy.
There will be nights when you cry more than you pray. There will be mornings when you wake up and feel like you are at the edge of giving up. But those are the very moments when heaven leans closer, when God whispers, Hold on. I am still here.
You do not have to fix the darkness. You just have to refuse to let it convince you that the light is gone. Because even now, it is still burning. You are still chosen. You are still loved. You are still held.
- Ellie Mont
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
John 1:5
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
Psalm 27:1