Of Grace under Trials

On Sunday morning, while waiting for my church service to begin, I noticed a guy walk into church with the help of a walking crutch. For a minute, I couldn’t place the guy in my memory, but then I recalled he was the same person who had met with a severe accident couple of months ago. 

Watching him walk across the room with the crutch, released a flood of memories in my mind. I immediately recalled the phase when I walked about with the help of an elbow crutch. Of course, mine was a minor accident compared to his, just torn ligaments in my ankle and badly bruised bones. It took me a couple of months to get back on my feet. Literally!! 

Those days constantly reminded me of my frailty and how much grace I needed to go through it alone. The day I met with the accident was the day I got confirmed in my new job. Looking at the severity of my injury, I knew instantly, I had lost my job. I was job hunting those days so I knew what I had lost. And six months earlier, I had undergone two dental surgeries back to back within a span of two months. That put a considerable toll on my health. 

Now, with the ankle injury, I was battling a lot of emotions. I was confused wondering what went wrong. But praise God for His word. Truly, it is a light unto your path. James clearly says that we will face trials of all kinds and this is to only to build up my faith. (James 1:2-4) He calls us to have an attitude of joy! Christ has promised that His grace is always sufficient in any trial we go through. (2 Corinthians 12:9a)

Paul experienced that promise when he suffered under a great trial of having the thorn in his flesh. He prayed thrice to God to have it removed, but Christ only said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor.12:9)

I always marvel at Paul’s response to this promise of Christ, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor.12:9c). This is true grace manifested in our weak bodies! 

I have known believers who have survived a car wreck and underwent several operations. I have seen their godly response to such deep suffering. I have seen Christ’s grace manifested not just in their attitude towards suffering but in the humble acceptance in what God in His immense wisdom has allowed to pass. I saw this same attitude in the person I mentioned in the beginning of this post. 

I am humbled and at the same time marvel at God’s ways. This in my sight is truly a miracle!!