At Wit’s End | Jim Hammond
Recap
Have you ever been “at your wit’s end?” When you’ve exhausted all your emotional and physical resources and have nothing left to give, what do you do? When the Apostle Paul was at his wit’s end, the Lord gave him direction saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Pastor Jim went on to expound on when we are at our wit’s end, how we can lean on His grace.
Dive Deeper
Sunday was Mother’s Day and Pastor Jim gave a wonderful tribute to mothers. It was an opportunity to honor and celebrate not only the moms in our lives, but all the women who might have impacted our lives is a positive way.
Mother’s Day is a time when we can celebrate and honor the women that have been involved in some way in our lives. Even going back to our childhood, think about the women that have prayed for you, been examples of faith, and have used their natural God-given skills as a mother to impact your life.
Pastor Jim said, “My mom was and is an excellent mom. I would not be alive if I hadn’t had my mom’s continued prayers throughout my life. Even when I was at my lowest points, where maybe it crossed her mind that I could turn into a career criminal, she still prayed and believed God for me. And I honor her in my heart and my soul publicly.”
Pastor Jim shared about his years in coaching kids in various sports and how you get to know the mothers of these young kids. He has witnessed with his own eyes how moms can get overwhelmed with the care and nurturing of their children. How it can be exhausting, yet they still keep going.
He used a biblical example in 2nd Kings of a mother who was overwhelmed with the cares of life. There was a young mother who was widowed at a young age and because of that, she couldn’t pay her bills. As a result, she was in danger of her children being taken from her.
Pastor Jim asked, “So what am I trying to get across today? I’m saying I know what it feels like to absolutely have nothing left emotionally and mentally and still have people depend on you to come through for them.”
When we are at our wit’s end, we need to follow the Lord’s direction to the Apostle Paul when he was at his wit’s end: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Read About It
2 Kings 4:1, “A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
2 Cor. 12:9–10, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Cor. 12:9–10 Amplified, “But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).”
Job 22:28, “You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways.”
Discussion Questions
Mother’s Day is a good time to honor our mothers. Do you have a story of how your mother impacted your life in a positive way?
What about the other women in your life, say a teacher, an aunt, or a grandmother… tell us how one or all of them might have impacted your life for good.
The Lord told the Apostle Paul that His grace was sufficient for him and that His grace is made perfect in weakness. Do you have a testimony of God’s grace operating in your life?