Grace/Peace


2Co 12:9  and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes 

	into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit 

	focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's 

	strength moving in on my weakness. 


            The greatest effect that a significant obstacle has as it persistently makes itself 

known in our path is the diversion of focus it causes from the One who will surely 

take us safely down that path to its very end. As we become frustrated with this thing 

and wonder why we can't seem to surmount it we are steadily weakened and stripped 

of confidence and peace. When there is a yielding to the powerful presence of God 

and an acceptance of the strengthening treasure of His grace, however, there is a 

total occupation with Him that causes one to even forget about that thing that once 

seemed so ominous. 

	Where this grace is applied there is always the capacity made for the spirit of 

peace to reside. There is always an association between applied grace and peace. 

While grace refers to power, it's the kind of power that always brings with it an effect 

of peace. This peace is the environment where strength is then found and the 

resources obtained to make it through with joy. 

	I remember several times as a child going hiking with my Father in the 

mountains of Colorado. There were trails that we would take to some high lake or 

place of interest and beauty. While the final destination was worth the energy exerted 

to get there, for a child this path was often times just too much. It might be all right 

for a little while as we were first taking off and the ground was still a bit level, but as 

we progressed and the grade grew steep, this hiking thing quickly turned into 

something that was just not any fun at all and a wonderful day of hiking with the 

promise of whatever lie ahead was just not enough to get me to take another step. 

Even though the surrounding terrain might be peaceful with an expansive view and 

the gentle whispering of the wind through the trees, it became for me just a source of 

frustration. Everything about it was just turned in to a reason to have never begun 

this little adventure. 

	At this point, where I could not go on, my father would lift me up and put me 

on his shoulders. Somehow, the challenge of this steep, rock-covered trail seemed to 

be almost effortless to him. He would easily carry me past the rough places till the 

path lessened in its difficulty. Though I had been totally frustrated and convinced 

that there was nothing about this idea of hiking that I liked, as soon as I was lifted 

above the difficulty of the trail, there was a release from its discomfort and I was able 

to enjoy this experience once again.  Though the obstacles were still there, I was now 

carried high above them by the strength of my father and I was able to begin 

chattering happily about whatever came to mind. Where there had been no capacity 

of peace in me there was now an ability to experience the journey with joy. His 

strength for me was an immediate provision of peace. 

	Whenever the journey is getting to be a source of frustration, removing any 

peace that was once known, there is always available to us the shoulders of our 

Father, and yielding to His strength will always bring a restoration of peace. Where 

His strength is applied, there is a release from relying on our own, and we are made 

more than able to make it beyond any obstruction. Where there is frustration-apply 

grace. This is the frequently recited prayer of the New Testament, that grace and 

peace would be multiplied. They are the team that will know victory every time.  



2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with 

	God and Jesus, our Master. 


4/15/04