His grace is sufficient

Have you ever plotted your course, laid out your plans and pushed full steam ahead with whatever you wanted to do?  That is me to a T.  I am a planner by nature and a control freak by genes.  My husband used to joke that I knew our vacation schedule for the next ten years...and my friends frequently refer to me as the tour guide or social planner.  It's not just vacation and social plans that I make though.  I plan EVERYTHING.  If this gives you any idea, I am currently three gifts away from being done with our Christmas shopping.  

This may all sound grand and wonderful, but as a child of God, I should be leaving the plans up to Him.  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Why is it that I struggle so much in giving up control to God?  And then, when things don't go the way I planned or hoped, I flounder and stress and try to plan my way through the chaos.  Now I know, truthfully I do, that I need to hand the reins over to God and trust in Him.  My favorite verse talks about it and I even have it tattooed

"I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song.  He has become my salvation."

I was reading 40 days with Jesus yesterday and a few key quotes stood out to me:

"Sometimes My blessings come to you in mysterious ways:  through pain and trouble.  At such times you can know My goodness only through your trust in Me.  Understanding will fail you, but trust will keep you close to Me."

Or even this not so gentle nudge...

"I want you to embrace all that I am doing in your life, finding your security in Me alone."

Every time I feel that I am growing and maturing in my faith, something comes along to shake me to the core.  I know this is a lesson from God and I need to buckle down and learn it.  Trusting in God is so very difficult for me, but He is the only way I can make it through.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

I am so weak Lord, please forgive me and enfold me in your loving arms so that I may rely solely on your strength.