Running, Writing, and Grace

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s grace is enough. Over and over again it remains sufficient for me.

Yesterday, for example, I did not want to wake up when my alarm went off. While of course I normally don’t want to wake up immediately because I’d rather sleep in, yesterday was harder than usual. My body did not want to move at all and yet I was supposed to be running with friends in 15 minutes. I considered calling it (the run) off altogether and just sleeping in instead, but for some unknown reason, I gave in, got dressed, and joined them anyways. Unfortunately, even as I simply walked the short distance to meet them, I could already tell it would be a hard run; my body ached already and I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open, much less keep my legs in motion. 2 minutes into the run, I wondered how in the world I could endure for the remaining 28 minutes we would be running. Along the run, I longingly gazed at every bench and shady rock we passed by, deeply contemplating whether or not I should stop and rest while letting the others run on. Again, for some reason I refused to give in and, instead, prayed for endurance. I had no idea how or if I could make the full 30 minutes (even if I chose to walk instead), but I prayed that God would give me the strength to press on and to let His strength shine through my exhausted legs. Perhaps I wasn’t the greatest running partner, since I didn’t even have the capacity to hold a conversation at that hour, but wouldn’t you know it? God answered my prayer. I am fully convinced that I finished that run (and without a single rest!) only by His grace. He is so good to me!

Similarly, I was overwhelmed when I sat down to write my paper later that evening. I was so overwhelmed, in fact, that I successfully put it off until 9 o’clock at night – which did absolutely no good for my task-oriented disposition and stressed state of mind. By the time I sat down to do it, I had worked myself up so much by worrying about not getting it done that I couldn’t think clearly at all. All the letters on the keyboard seemed to stare at me, but I couldn’t make a word out of any of them, much less put words into sentences that made logical sense and answered a thesis. Again, I turned to God for strength. There was no way on this green earth I could get anything done on that project unless His hand was there to guide me (and to keep me awake). Sure enough, I sit here fully awake at 3:49am, with paper well on its way and a feeling of satisfaction in getting farther on it than I had planned.

God’s strength appears most apparent when we are weak, for it is when we are weak that we must rely on His strength and that we are compelled to be united with His divinity. What bliss! When we are most frail, we have the greatest opportunity to be in close union with Him who is most strong! Today, (or yesterday, depending on how you look at 3:49am) God answered my prayers. He was endurance in my fatigue; He was strength in my weakness. Surely His grace is sufficient for me.