Sufficient

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, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

There are some days when I feel so much less than sufficient for the task of mothering children from hard places. And then there are the days when I feel less than sufficient welcoming those hard places and hurts into my home and personal space. There is a song I listen to when I run by Leeland called Follow You. Part of the song says:

I'll follow You into the homes that are broken.

Follow You into the world.

Meet the needs of the poor and the needy God.

Follow You into the world.

It is hard when those homes that are broken become your own home. The weakness of my own faith is evident here when I could easily say that I was willing to follow God into the homes that were broken, thinking I could rescue sweet children from those very homes, but not so willing to welcome that brokenness into my own home. How thankful I am that God did not leave me only content to help when it was convenient and easy to visit the broken, poor, and needy and then return home to my life of comfort and ease. How thankful I am that He brought the brokenness to my own home and showed me my weakness and His own sufficiency for each day.

It is a hard reality and He is a sufficient God. My friend Julie wrote a beautiful post yesterday about the often undisclosed truths in parenting such precious children. I encourage you to take time to read Truth In Lending and be encouraged by God's sufficiency in bringing us to and through this very real journey.