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God's grace gives you the power to face difficult times

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." 1 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

I remember the day well. I was rifling through the leftovers in my friend's refrigerator, grateful that she shared the remains of her home-cooked meals with me and for her listening ear.

As I looked over the salad and other selections, I shared how weak I felt in managing all the problems I was facing at the time.

My friend's voice was barely within earshot when I heard her say, "That's not at all how you appear to me. You're one of the strongest people I know."

I closed the refrigerator door and sat down at the table. I was trying to process what she said. How could I appear to handle my problems so well when I felt so weak and overwhelmed?

That thought perplexed me for years until one day I studied about God's grace. Then it hit me. That's how I made it through the tough times. God's power flowed through me and gave me the strength I needed to carry on in my weakness, even when I didn't realize it.

Are you going through a difficult time? Do you feel like you can hardly take one more step forward? You need some of God's power (grace) to make it through.

It's our weaknesses that keep us dependent on God. God wants us to come to him in prayer and lean on him. When the Apostle Paul was dealing with something he referred to as "a thorn in the flesh," he couldn't handle it. God reassured him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness."

Grace is the power we can ask God for. It's a favor that is given to us, just as a loving father provides for his child even though they don't deserve it. The good news is, we don't have to be perfect for God to extend his grace to us, because we can't improve our lives unless he gives us the power to do it.

Do you have a thorn in the flesh? Ask God to give you the grace to deal with it. Take the power and put it one more application. Face those hard-to-deal with people in your life with a loving attitude. Establish and maintain those boundaries with your rebellious teenagers. Don't be afraid to face another day because you feel helpless and alone.

Even though nothing changes right away, know that you can see it through because God's grace is flowing through you.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. Annettee will be speaking at the Libertyville Civic Center Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m. Reserve your seat by calling (847) 543-8413 or email Annetteebudzban@aol.com.

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