The apostle Paul was greatly used of God. He spread the Gospel, established and strengthened churches, and wrote half of the New Testament. He also suffered a lot during his ministry.

The book of Philippians – written from a jail cell – mentions the words joy and rejoicing many times. Certainly, Roman prisons were nothing like modern ones and offered little (if anything) to get excited about. In spite of it – he rejoiced – that’s grace.

Sometime earlier, Paul thought he had about reached the end of his rope with an ongoing trial that God gave him. After asking for relief, instead of giving it, God gave him the promise that “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). Accepting that answer from the Lord, Paul soon learned that “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

If a man who suffered so much for the cause of Christ can rejoice because he tested God’s grace in extreme circumstances and found it sufficient, by waiting on the Lord and trusting Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we also will find His grace more than sufficient. Now that you are His child, God does not care for you any less than He cared for Paul. In fact, your circumstances are unlikely to be as anywhere as severe as Paul experienced.

When Paul said “ye all are partakers of my grace,” it revealed that Paul knew that this church had likewise experienced God’s sufficiency in trials. When we also face trials from an unbelieving world, we also can rejoice and testify that God’s grace is truly amazing grace. His grace is amazing in that He saved us, amazing in keeping us, amazing in limiting our trials, and amazing that we will soon live get to live with Him forever! His grace enables strength for the hour and hope for the future. Are you trusting Him to provide that grace?