t could not be taken away. The
Lord said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee. For My strength'
(where the word 'My' is a supplement, but a necessary one) 'is made
perfect in weakness.'

The answer is, in form and in substance, a gentle refusal of the form of
the petition, but it is a more than granting of its essence. For the
best answer to such a prayer, and the answer which a true man means when
he asks, 'Take away the burden,' need not be the external removal of the
pressure of the sorrow, but the infusing of power to sustain it. There
are two ways of lightening a burden, one is diminishing its actual
weight, the other is increasing the strength of the shoulder that bears
it. And the latter is God's way, is Christ's way, of dealing with us.

Now mark that the answer which this faithful prayer receives is no
communication of anything fresh, but it is the opening of the man's eyes
to see that already he has all that he needs. The reply is not, 'I
_will_ give thee grace sufficient,' but 'My grace' (which thou hast
now) 'is sufficient for thee.' That grace is given and possessed by the
sorrowing heart at the moment when it prays. Open your eyes to see what
you have, and you will not ask for the load to be taken away. Is not
that always true? Many a heart is carrying some heavy weight; perhaps
some have an incurable sorrow, some are stricken by disease that they
know can never be healed, some are aware that the shipwreck has been
total, and that the sorrow that they carry to-day will lie down with
them in the dust. Be it so! 'My grace (not shall be, but) _is_
sufficient for thee.' And what thou hast already in thy possession is
enough for all that comes storming against thee of disease,
disappointment, loss, and misery. Set on the one side all possible as
well as all actual weaknesses, burdens, pains, and set on the other
these two words--'My grace,' and all these dwindle into nothingness and
disappear. If troubled Christian men would learn what they have, and
would use what they already possess, they would less often beseech Him
with vain petitions to take away their blessings which are in the thorns
in the flesh. 'My grace is sufficient.'

How modestly the Master speaks about what He gives! 'Sufficient'? Is not
there a margin? Is there not more than is wanted? The overplus is
'exceeding abundant,' not only 'above what we ask or think,' but far
more than our need. 'Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not _sufficie