Enabling Grace

There is a word we often use in a negative way — enabling. We warn parents not to enable a child's bad behavior by rewarding it. But the word has another meaning entirely: to strengthen, to make sufficient, to equip for what lies ahead. That is the kind of enabling Paul had in mind when he wrote to young Timothy, and it is the kind God offers every one of us.

God Counts Us Faithful by Mercy, Not Merit

Paul opens with a statement of personal gratitude that ought to stop us in our tracks: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." (1 Tim 1:12-13) Of all the people Jesus could have chosen as His ambassador to the Gentiles, He chose this man — a violent enemy of the church who was doing everything in his power to stamp it out. Paul never forgot that. He did not earn the ministry; he obtained mercy. And if mercy reached Saul of Tarsus, it can reach anyone.

A Pattern for Every Sinner Who Follows

Paul does not stop at his own story. He draws a larger conclusion from it: "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (1 Tim 1:15-16) Paul is saying, look at me — not to boast, but to encourage. If you believe you are too far gone, too weak, too great a failure for God to use, Paul answers: I am the pattern. Do not let that be your excuse.

Our Sufficiency Is from God, Not Ourselves

This same thread runs through Paul's other letters. In 2 Corinthians 3 he says plainly that "our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant" (2 Cor 3:5-6). And when his thorn in the flesh drove him to plead with the Lord three times for relief, the answer he received was not removal but assurance: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9) Paul's response is remarkable — he learned to boast in his infirmities, because when he was visibly weak, the power on display had to be God's. That is the logic of enabling grace. And it carries straight into Philippians 4, where Paul says he has learned — in every circumstance, full or hungry, abounding or in need — "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13) That is not a claim to supernatural ability. It is a confession that in Christ, whatever life requires, there is enough.

In Closing

Whatever it is you believe the Lord is asking of you, the hesitation that says I cannot do this is answered by enabling grace. It does not depend on you being sufficient in yourself — self will stumble. It depends on Him. His grace is exceedingly abundant, His strength is made perfect in weakness, and He will enable you to be who He has called you to be. That's where I want to stand. Don't you?