“My grace is sufficient” He reminded me, as I prayed before going to visit my husband in hospital…. Here is a testimony of grace, which followed after.
I had asked the LORD, “Is there anything in particular you want me to say”, asking in advance because it is so hard to sense GOD’s presence in a hospital. “My grace is sufficient” was His response. And I knew also, I must pray for His presence to be with us as I visited.
The visit was short, because my hubby was weak and tired, partly because the doctors had given him a medicine that historically drains his blood pressure, medicine they think he needs (therefore they keep trying), which I can see he does not (because I and others like me have prayed the Lord’s protection against medicine he does not need).
I left the meeting and was full of emotion, primarily frustration at the blindness of the well-meaning, well-trained doctors. What precipitated was a 24 hour period without GOD’s grace, though it would take me overnight to even realise the grace had gone.
The despair I was experiencing in the day that followed the visit to hospital was new in this journey of my husband’s recovery. By nature an emotive person, for the last 2 months, I’d been filled with calm detachment, resolve, and determination. Some of these descriptions come from others who have observed me, some of my own recognition. But suffice to say, I gradually realised my patience, a gift from GOD (Galatians 5:22), had been spent and I was needing His grace so that I would not become hardened toward this situation nor to anyone.
I was tested.
Half way through the next day, a doctor rang to tell me they were lifting the medication that so badly reduces the blood pressure (Praise the LORD) and were taking a test of an internal organ — one the LORD had confirmed was healed.
After the phone call, the oppression which had hounded me since the night before began to lift. At the 24 hour mark, I realised His grace had returned and I’d been on a journey of discovery: discovery of what it is like without His grace; what it is like for those who lack relationship with the Creator of the Universe; what it is like when I am not bathed in His anointing; the distance from my past, when I didn’t know as much of His grace as I do now — how hard hearted or judgmental I can become when I am not in His grace.
Yes, I was under attack from the enemy. But I was also being tested: how would I behave without the grace of GOD? Would I fall back into old habits or had my character changed? Was I tempted by my emotions or was I grounded in love for Him and others?
I think I passed the test, although of course that is for the LORD to decide. There were moments in that 24 hours when I had options: I could do what I deemed best, or wait; I could follow my will, or give way to the LORD.
Hallelujah! I think I did not fail. Even without His evident presence, I think I had sufficient grace. I did not lose my temper or give way to despair. Truly, His grace is all any of us needs.
So, when His grace is present, trust Him; and if His grace has lifted, trust Him even more, for it will return. His grace is sufficient to carry us through. Truly, we can “do all things through Christ who gives [us] strength”. (Philippians 4:13)
5 replies on “A Testimony of Grace”
I’ve prayed for grace recently too at a time when I felt God was far away because I had forgotten to trust Him. The words of Jesus are such a balm….’I’ll never leave you or forsake you / Seek first the Kingdom of God and all things else will be added to you / Man cannot live by bread alone but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God. It’s a matter of humbling oneself, acknowledging where I went wrong, repenting, and then the Lord brings renewal. Thank you Father. Blessings to Alan.
Thank you for sharing, Norman. In Him, we live and move and have our being:)
God never removes all His grace from one of His own even if they are being martyred. When Jesus was crucified, He had grace to go through it. His grace as He told Paul, is sufficient. Even when he was beaten and left for dead, God’s grace was enough to keep him alive. When he was shipwrecked and in the deep for a day and a night. When he was in prison and beaten and mobbed, Gods grace was sufficient. Without God’s grace we would not be alive.
My take is we can think or feel God has lifted His grace when we are under strong spiritual attack or our circumstances seem unbearable. I have been in severe pain a number of times in my life physically and spiritually. Times where I gladly would have the Lord beam me up. Even then I was aware it would not happen because I knew it was something the Father wanted me to go through. The question is will we trust Him when we don’t understand.
He told me, I had need of endurance. When we know the Father intimately, we know He has a reason for what we are going through. On 2-21-2021 the Father told me I have a mantle of love and endurance. I have these for a reason. The love mantle I understand and are so grateful for it. The mantel of endurance will obviously come in handy one day. Although, I am not looking forward to that day. But when it comes and it surely will, I will be so glad I have that mantle because it is the grace that will bring me through it and the grace will take me home. Sincerely, Gary
Grace is like a warm blanket from God that wraps us like a baby in a swaddling blanket, It’s His love poured out that covers us in His Love.
Continued prayer for Alan being covered in Gods grace, and you as well Sarah.
What a lovely simile. Love and thanks for your prayers:)