Hiding from Sufficient Grace

Sea world this summer...

The clock blinks quarter to six and little feet dash across the wooden floors to the door. The door opens and those feet make their way to the side of the bed. Mama? Who needs an alarm clock when you have a toddler and a fiver year old? I stumble down the hallway and begin the morning routine of getting drinks and making coffee. Thank you Lord for coffee! I turn on a cartoon for the kids and turn on the computer for me. I read a blog about wanting to run away written from a mom in the midst of chaos. I pondered what she said and how it resonated with so many that commented. The truth be told I too could comment on that one. Chaos makes me want to run but that's another story for another time. What really stuck with me was her honesty and her willingness to share a truth that made her vulnerable. She was authentic and that took guts.

As I think about authenticity and mothering and this life we lead...the Lord brings this verse to mind...it's one I have read several times over the last few days. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9 NIV) The words linger and I say them over slowly and I come to rest on the sufficiency through grace part. It's His grace that's sufficient, enough, and unfailing...wherever we are and whatever we are going through His grace is sufficient. It's enough...not just it will help a little...not just it's a nice idea...it's enough...enough to tackle the dog days of mothering when we'd rather be somewhere else. His grace is enough when chaos reigns and tempers flare. His grace is enough when we wake up at six and wonder what in the world are we going to do with our children for the next fourteen hours?

Yet...I think how often do I hide this need for sufficient grace? You see the apostle Paul who penned the words above didn't hide his weakness and his need for grace...so why do I? Why do we? What if in our hiding we lose community? What if we are missing out on the chance to see grace in action? Did I ever stop to think that perhaps my weakness wasn't meant to be mine alone? That when I hide my weakness I also hide the chance for others to see His power working in it. Perhaps the lady sitting next to us at Bible study every week needs to hear about our weakness and need for sufficient grace. Perhaps it's what she needs to hear so she knows she's not a lone and doesn't have to be. How will she know Jesus is enough for her if you never share that you need Him to be enough for you?

So I am going to stop hiding...I like the blogger mentioned above have thought about running away in the midst of chaos. I have lost my temper too many times to count. I have days where stay at home mothering is not fun and I want to go back to work. Yet His grace is sufficient in these weaknesses and more. So come sit with me and let's not hide together. I need to hear from you because I am that woman in Bible study.