How is God’s grace sufficient?

Hello, questioning brother. Have you read 2 Corinthians Chapter 1 before?

It is strange how it relates to comfort.

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

Questioning brother, what would you say about that God's grace being sufficient here?

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life? It doesn’t do anything To change anything. At most, it makes you feel better about the situation, without actually doing something to help. If it doesn’t help (and comforting IS NOT help), how is it anything but completely insufficient for anything?

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It is good you have questions, for you will receive answers.That is grace. You/we are alive and able to ask questions. That is grace. I know sometimes things don't work out as we wish sometimes, But when we look as the situation in hindsight, we are grateful for the outcome.But you have to recognize grace for grace.Grace is a gift from God. We are saved by grace through faith.It is grace that wakes us up in the morning, not the alarm clock. It is grace that helps us out and pulls us through trying times.

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life?

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A relevant topic mentioned in the Bible puts it this way: "If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone." 1 Corinthians 15:19 CSB translation.

The way I see it, there's a huge gap in knowledge and understanding between our world here on Earth and those who inhabit Heaven. Paul gives an interesting insight and analogy to this in 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 ESV "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

Basically what seems extremely important to us now may be rather insignificant in the resurrection and the rest of eternity.

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life? It doesn’t do anything To change anything. At most, it makes you feel better about the situation, without actually doing something to help. If it doesn’t help (and comforting IS NOT help), how is it anything but completely insufficient for anything?

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Depends what you are looking for as a Christian. If you want a comfortable life with no problems and just go to heaven when you die, grace will not interest you. If you want to be a Kingdom Christian, take on Satan and help to bring him down, then life will be difficult at times. I am presently in a situation totally beyond my experience. I have no idea how to deal with it. That's when God's grace comes in. I don't want to be a spectator in the Christian life. No one gives prizes to spectators. Spectators don't win battles.

When we come through a trial, we are stronger, wiser, more resilient and of more value to God's kingdom. None of that applies to those who avoid trials.

How is God's grace sufficient, you ask. We can't fully comprehend the meaning and significance of it, so it's not a question that is apporopriate to ask.

Thanks to Jesus, you don't have to be perfect, yet you are righteous to God.

Thanks to Jesus, you don't have to fight The forces of Evil, he did it for you.

Thanks to Jesus, we can be saved although our hearts are drawn to sin.

You only have to believe in him.

How is grace sufficient, you ask. =)

God Bless.

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life? It doesn’t do anything To change anything. At most, it makes you feel better about the situation, without actually doing something to help. If it doesn’t help (and comforting IS NOT help), how is it anything but completely insufficient for anything?

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You're right, there is no saving grace for those outside of Christ. One must be born again...
John 1:12-14, 17 KJVS
[12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
[17] For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Questioning Brother said:

It doesn’t do anything To change anything

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It changes YOU and the “new you” will then begin understanding God more than just as a “some supernatural being who grants us what we wish/ask for” ...

We won’t experience the sufficiency of God’s grace unless we understand the truth that we are in a “relationship” with Him and He has his thoughts, wills and plans for us which are way way superior than ours.

Only when we leave this “my way or high way” attitude and surrender and submit our lives to his Lordship and learn to wait patiently as He reveals Himself to us in various circumstances and seasons of life, then we will surely know that all that all His promises are truth and truth alone!!

The truth is, His grace is sufficient...either you didn’t wait long enough to experience it or to begin with, you started your journey believing a wrong understanding of what it means.

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life? It doesn’t do anything To change anything. At most, it makes you feel better about the situation, without actually doing something to help. If it doesn’t help (and comforting IS NOT help), how is it anything but completely insufficient for anything?

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If grace were insufficient then no one would be able to repent and come to Christ.

Questioning Brother said:

In what way is God’s grace sufficient in this life? It doesn’t do anything To change anything. At most, it makes you feel better about the situation, without actually doing something to help. If it doesn’t help (and comforting IS NOT help), how is it anything but completely insufficient for anything?

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Grace spares those, who accept His free gift of salvation, from the "second death". We receive His Holy Spirit who brings us into His presence, the Body of Christ. Grace is all about your spiritual life. We struggle in the flesh while waiting to pass from corruption into incorruption. Our mandate is to spread the "Good News " while the "Comforter" guilds us in all truth. Jesus Christ of Nazareth continually reminded His followers that we will suffer in this life but to "stay the course" at all cost looking forward to everlasting life. Be blessed,

God will help in His own way and His own time, for He alone knows what is best. We must keep faith as that is what moves Him.

Often people, Christians included, don't fully understand what grace actually is. Grace is not just some abstract feel good thing. It is far more than favor. It is actually God's power. Just as anointing is the external power of God, grace is the internal power of God. Grace is God's power/strength within you to help you do what is right and what God has called you to do/be. It is the power to overcome and become. It is internal fortitude.

God's grace being sufficient means that His strength at work in us will always be enough. That we've each been given a measure of grace means: God has given you exactly what you need for anything you will ever face, the "measure" needed, and that measure will be different for each one of us because we all face different challenges.

The trick is while it is always available to us, we must still tap into it and use it. We have to learn to use and flow in God's grace. That takes time and practice, just like learning to use and flow in the anointing.

So, yes, grace does do something. Amazing things actually. It is the power to turn lives around for the better and for God's glory. I've seen it first hand, time and time again.

Questioning Brother said:

The problem is internal fortitude is well and fine. Still doesn’t change the external problem i need fixed. So he can pour every drop he’s got. It is being poured in the wrong place.
He is not even giving me 1/10 of what I need to do this. I need MUCH MORE. He has entirely too much faith in what I can handle. I need Him to have ridiculously less faith in me.
I am glad it does something for you. it doesn’t do anything for me.

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What do you think is more likely, that God is not giving you what you need, "pouring into the wrong spot", or, that you are missing what He's giving somehow?

Questioning Brother said:

Completely insufficient. He speaks comforting words, so what? Nothing has changed. There has been zero improvement to the situation. Okay, extremely little improvement, but barely anything at all.

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Hello again. I know your struggling so much, and I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

Honestly, for a couple months right before and after my daughter's death, my doctor prescribed me some type of anti-anxiety medication (buspar I think it was) and it helped me so much, kept me from completely falling apart and helped me focus to do and be what I needed to be in those moments for her....

Perhaps you should talk to a doctor and see about something like that. My regular physician was who prescribed something for me, and it was truly no big deal to ask.

Just say hey, your falling apart and need to try something for anxiety...

Questioning Brother said:

All of the above. It isn’t enough, it is in the wrong spot, and I am completely missing how any of what He is doing has the slightest effect on my problem.

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Then I think we've identified the real problem.

Questioning Brother said:

God equating comforting with actually helping?

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No. The problem is you are blaming God. Nowhere has that ever worked or ended well.