Confidently Suffecient - Daily Devotional March 5th, 2010

Bible Reading - Exodus 15, Luke 18, Job 33, 2 Corinthians 3

Confidently Sufficient

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 says, "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.." As you read the previous and subsequent scriptures surrounding these verse you will understand the full context of what Paul is talking about. Paul is saying that our very lives are to be letters of hope to the world around us and that this letter is not being written by the hand of man but by the hand and Spirit of God. It is within this context that Paul reminds us where our confidence comes from and who it is that makes us sufficient.

Some of us battle with thoughts of insecurity occasionally while many others deal with it all the time. No matter what category you are in when those thoughts of insecurity come it makes us lack confidence and feel inadequate. It is in this place that we become unable to fulfill the will of God which is to be the living word whereby people can understand and know God's grace. Not only will the feelings of insecurity take away our confidence and sufficiency but it will make us try to work harder not smarter.

Most of us when we are not confidently sufficient begin to try and do more to compensate for feeling inadequate. This creates other issues as we run around filling our lives with busy tasks trying to prove ourselves to the world around us but yet we accomplish nothing. Paul actually addresses this at the very beginning of 2 Corinthians 3 when he says, "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you"? In other words do I need to impress you and try to convince others that I am adequate and sufficient to do what I am doing or to be who I am in Christ? He goes on to say, "NO", my confidence and sufficiency does not come from man but from God.

We need to learn from Paul today and understand that we do not need to run around pleasing man and trying to get their approval but rather we need to realize that we are confidently sufficient because of the one we are living for and the one that is living in us, The Lord Jesus Christ. After all we are who we are by the grace of God.

Are you confidently sufficient today?

Tomorrow's Bible Reading - Exodus 16, Luke 19, Job 34, 2 Corinthians 4

Dream Big
Ben