Sufficiency

It is my opinion that Paul's letters to the Corinthians contain some of his best teachings.

Today I noticed the word 'sufficiency.'

According to Webster,
sufficiency means that we have an ample amount
of what is needed; an adequate supply.

Ample means large in size, scope; more than enough; abundant.

11 Cor. 3:5 says, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant..."

So, through God's sufficiency working in us, we are sufficient as ministers of the law of the Spirit which gives life. We have more than enough and an abundant supply because of His power that works in us.

11 Cor 9:8-(My husband has been soaking in this one for days. I heard him saying it to himself as he put on his boots the other morning.) "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency for all things, may have an abundance for every good work."

Again, it is His grace that abounds toward us that will give us everything we need to complete the good works we are called to do.

11 Cor. 12:9-"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Yet again, it is His power resting on us through His abundance of grace,
working best in our weakness, which reveals the perfection of His strength.

One of Paul's final exhortations to the Corinthians was this in 11 Cor. 13:11b-"Become complete."

I love that. How do we become complete? Through His sufficiency. Is Christ sufficient? Is He lacking in anything? What does it mean to have Him as our portion? We try so hard, don't we? But He has given us rest from our labors because it is His sufficiency that does His work through us. We are not sufficient and we need His grace.

With our nothingness and His fullness, we will have sufficiency in all things.
We will be complete.