Weekly devotional: His grace is sufficient

In leaning on the words of 1 Corinthians 15:10, KS Kapālama Kahu Manu Naeʻole KSK’96 reminds us to stop all the ways we try to anchor down our expectations for Ke Akua made us well and thus his grace is sufficient.

Sept. 30, 2022

Ka Ipu o Lono shares weekly devotionals to provide spiritual enrichment to members of the Kamehameha Schools ‘ohana. For more inspiration, visit the KS “Our faith” website.

Heluhelu Baibala
Akā, ua lilo wau i koʻu mea i lilo ai, ma ka lokomaikaʻi wale o ke Akua; ʻaʻole hoʻi i makehewa kona lokomaikaʻi mai ma luna oʻu; no ka mea, ua pākela aku koʻu hoʻoikaika ʻana ma mua o lākou a pau. ʻAʻole hoʻi wau, ʻo ka lokomaikaʻi nō o ke Akua i loko oʻu. – Korineto I 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. – I Corinthians 15:10

He manaʻo o ke kahu

“I am my own worst enemy.” Many of us have quipped this at some point regarding ourselves. Bosses critique, so we beat ourselves up, teachers evaluate, and we can bruise ourselves, pastors condemn, and we belittle ourselves. We often do this because we struggle with our self-worth and self-valuation. We know in Genesis 1 that when God created humanity, He called us good.

Nevertheless, at times we do not believe God said this about ourselves. We run through our list of things about ourselves that we wish were better: skinnier, more muscular, darker, lighter, funnier, quieter, more intelligent, wiser, and the list goes on. These reflections do nothing for us, and we need to stop.

We can be healthier and more active, but we are not less because we are what we are now. We could have been more loving and kinder in the past, but we are not less because we are what we are now. God’s grace is sufficient for us all. Paul knew better than anyone what he once was, and he understood the power of God’s grace. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim 1:15). Paul knew his plot in life before following Jesus, but none of these past problems or self-image ever weighed him down because he understood grace. “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor 15:10).

Stop all the ways we try to anchor down our expectations. You are what you are, and you have the expectations you have because of the grace of God. Stop all the ways we carry extra burdens because we believe we are not strong enough or smart enough. You are what you are, and you are burden free because of the grace of God. God made you. God made you well. Go and live in what God has called you to live out because God has made you who you are today, tomorrow, and forever. ‘Āmene.