Self-Sufficient: An Oxymoron?
by Deborah Wuehler, Seniore Editor
The Old Schoolhouse? Magazine
One of my goals as a mother of eight was to work hard with the oldest ones to get them to the place of independence so that I could work with the younger ones and do the same. Giving them responsibility and problems to solve at a young age was a skill that served us well as the children moved into independent, smart, self-sufficient adults.
Spiritually speaking, the term self-sufficiency seems to be an oxymoron. For “without Him, we can do nothing.” How do we teach this God-sufficiency? By showing our children how we trust Him in every area of our own lives. When troubled, they see us move toward prayers of faith. When in lack, we explain how we trust our Provider. Whenever possible, we remind them of what God has done in our lives. We must remember, and teach our children to remember, the deeds of the Lord. We must teach them not to fully rely on self, but to fully rely on Christ. He is all sufficient for all things.?
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
This extended journey begins and ends with trusting God for all things. As we lean on our All-Sufficient God, and bring our children with us, they will learn to lean on Him, especially as they grow independent of us. It starts with them watching us rely on the all-sufficient grace of God towards us through whatever comes our way—the good and the bad.
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
~Deborah, Senior Editor
The Old Schoolhouse? Magazine