Abba Father, You promise:
Suffering removes so much of our self-sufficiency. In my case, it’s my ability to do what I once could. Suffering makes us needy and weary. But Your daily grace is sufficient because, in this very experience, we see…we can keep going only by Your power.
Your daily sufficient grace.
Unending.
Daily sufficient grace, one hour at a time
One hour at a time, You give us daily sufficient grace to the depths of our souls, our emotions, our hearts, and our spiritually tired places.
For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish (Jer. 31:25 ESV).
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me (Ps. 50:15 ESV).
Daily sufficient grace for every spiritual battle
You’re giving Your beloved in Christ daily sufficient grace for the spiritual battles that are so strong in suffering…
by Your indwelling Spirit, Who is greater than Satan and any of his minions!
You give us grace when we realize our idolatries. In my case, it’s silently fretting about things that threaten my comfort and ease. Or gripping at planning to control…rather than releasing to Your care.
You give us grace when we’re discontent or impatient. Unloving.
You are so gracious when anything other than the likeness of Jesus Christ in us…isn’t shown.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy riven side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
(“Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me,” Toplady, E., 1776)
To be united with the Rock of Ages, it’s Your grace upon grace upon grace!
In Your steadfast and covenant love, You called each of those who trust in Christ for salvation, by Your grace (Gal. 1:5) and made us right with You when we received Your “abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness” (Rom. 5:17 ESV).
What a gift, because we could never live without sinning against Your law’s standard of complete perfection. Everyone was born with a sin nature—it’s simply impossible on earth. BUT Jesus perfectly kept Your law so that “the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Gal. 3:22 ESV).
Your gospel of grace tells us that…
we no longer need to earn Your love or acceptance…
or add anything to what You’ve already done for us…
in Jesus’ finished work on the cross in our place (Jn. 19:30).
I am Your child now. It’s not about me; it’s about You now. If I were to trust in my obedience or good works to be saved, rather than Christ’s righteousness, I would actually be falling away from Your grace.
Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law’s demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
Help me to trust and thank You for Your grace for the next hour
Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to thy cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the Fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
So, today, help me to trust in Your covenant promises instead, “to the praise of Your glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6 ESV).
For You loved me and gave me eternal comfort and good hope through grace (2 Thess. 2:16).
You’re the One strengthening me to keep going with faith in Christ by this same grace (2 Timothy 2:1).
It’s “from [Christ’s] fullness we have all received, grace upon grace…grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17 ESV).
Seeing Your sufficient grace as Your love for me…in this thorn of suffering
Ah, could this also be part of Your sufficient grace to us, as we suffer?
Like Paul, who lived with a nagging thorn to keep him humble (2 Cor. 12:1-10), could our humbled need for You in suffering be Your gift of ongoing, sanctifying grace?
I need Thee every hour…
Could You be helping each of us to humble ourselves under Your mighty hand, by learning to throw our every anxious, upset, controlling, and self-focused concern on You…
because You so tenderly care for us? (1 Pet. 5:6-7)
I need Thee every hour…
Because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us,
from God the Father and from
Jesus Christ the Father’s Son,
in truth and love (2 Jn. 2-3 ESV, emphasis added).
While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyelids close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
To the praise of Your glorious and always-sufficient daily grace, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, amen and amen.
Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023
A playlist gift to thank our Lord for His always-sufficient grace for each hour
Sister in Christ, if you’re living with ongoing suffering as I am, I’m praying for you! And making playlist gifts for both of us to sing to Him in the spiritual battles that ongoing and chronic “thorns” bring.
This week, we’re singing of His ongoing grace, past, present and future. Into fears of the unknown, but hidden in the Rock of Ages, whose grace will lead us both home to Himself!
If this would be a calming gift that stirs your heart to thankfulness for His indescribable gift to us in Christ, sign up here, and the music will come to your email with my love.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Blessings in Christ as We Suffer: Scripture Prayers for the Hardest Days, Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
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