Budget Cut vs. Pay Raise

The tempter sought to lodge self-pity with my soul regarding my knee.

"Can you believe God would do this to you?" he whispered Monday night. "Just when you have so much to do. And now you're going to suffer with this for the rest of your life. The rest of your life, mind you. Just think how you have been weakened."

I turned to the Lord. "Lord, it feels like my natural strength has gotten a budget cut. I no longer have the resources I used to have. What do I do about it?"

"A budget cut on your natural strength is a budget increase of my grace," He replied.

A big smile spread over my face and self-pity fled. All the more reason to leap! This is not like a budget cut after all! It's like getting a pay raise. I excitedly anticipated the extra measure of grace that God would provide through this situation. For the first time in my life, I could sense a tiny measure of what Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

It also reminded me of the no-holds-barred promise of 2 Cor. 9:8. Count the words "all," "every," and "abound."

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

~ ~ ~

I did get my knee checked out on Tuesday, and the doctor said my MCL was sprained. Yes! ONLY a sprain! That means I don't need to have an MRI, surgery, or even an x-ray. I just have to keep it immobilized for a few weeks and wear a brace for a few weeks after that, and it will heal. Praise the Lord! What a relief! So I won't suffer with it for the rest of my life. Hooray!