“Not that we are sufficiently qualified in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency and qualifications come from God.” – 2 Corinthians 3:5 AMP
We see throughout the Bible that Jesus employed parables in addition to figures of speech and inanimate objects to teach. The Parable of the Rich Fool, found in Luke 12:16–20, is one of them. As much as the parable was about avoiding greed, we can deduce that it was also about regarding God as our sufficiency.
It is easy to be swayed by a wonderful job, a new car, or a new house and believe it’s all your hard work, but is it really? According to James 1:17, all good and perfect gifts come from above. We are and have everything because of God’s grace. We are not qualified to exalt ourselves over any victory we have; we are victorious because of God’s grace and sufficiency.
God is our sufficiency. This is not a statement we make as believers in false humility, but as an acknowledgement that we see God as our source and strength. As a result, this breathes in us a life of thanksgiving. We give thanks to God for His sufficiency and His grace. Every good thing we have shouldn’t result in a boast about our efforts but of God’s grace.
On the other hand, because we trust God as our source, we are not fazed by challenges that come our way. We know that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us, because our sufficiency is in the Lord. He has made grace abound to us (2 Corinthians 9:8).
What have you been relying on your strength and effort for? What weight have you been carrying on your own that has been weighing you down? Let go and let God (Matthew 6:25-34). What storms are you facing? Hold on to God, He is your anchor and fortress (Psalm 18:2).
God’s grace is sufficient for you. Glory! (2 Corinthians 12:9). What an amazing Father God is! We were not qualified for His grace, but He qualified us by the sacrifice of Jesus (Ephesians 3:12-13). By ourselves, we were not worthy to be His children, yet God has chosen us in Christ (Romans 8:15).
Hence, unlike the rich fool, we don’t boast in ourselves but in Christ, thanking and praising Him as our source. We thank Him for His sufficiency and grace to be all that we are as well as possess all that we have, just as Paul did in our anchor text. God is adequate for you in the good and the bad, the highs and the lows.
Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we have faith that God’s grace abounds and that He is sufficient to lead us through. Hallelujah.
Bible Reading Plan: 2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11-12