What makes me deserving of grace? It's a question I ask myself when I see myself doing something I shouldn't, when I give into sin, when I fall short. So, really, every, single, day. The Bible says that by grace, through faith, I have been set free. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 Set free? How is that even possible? I've been set free from the power of sin, from guilt, from feeling unworthy, feeling not enough. Because Christ, He makes me worthy, He says that I'm enough -- even in my shortcomings. I feel like Paul when he was talking to the church in Corinth about the thorn in his side. I've been pleading with God to take away my thorn thinking life would be easier. That magically when it was gone, I would feel relief and life would all of a sudden make sense, that I would finally have answers. But, I keep missing something. I keep forgetting about the power of God. I keep forgetting grace. But, if you boil it all down, really, I'm just refusing it. Why? Because, I'm stubborn and I'm a human that would like to do everything myself, without any help... What will happen if I keep refusing it? Nothing good I can tell you that. What will happen if I stop refusing? What will happen if I let in His grace? What happens when I allow the power of God to enter my side? To cover my thorn? "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 His power will be made perfect and I will be made strong. In any situation, when dealing with any thorn, His grace is sufficient. Enough. Ample. Plentiful. Satisfactory. Bountiful. Generous. Lavish. Rich. It doesn't matter what my "thorn" is, God wants to use it as an opportunity to show me His power. He wants to show me what can happen when I allow Him into my weaknesses. His grace, His freely given, unmerited favor, His love, is sufficient. I can sit here all day and wallow, doubt, that there is nothing He can do. That nothing will change. That my thorn will never go away. Or. I can let His grace cover me. Because, no matter how long I sit and wallow, His grace never changes. His love never stops, it never gives up, it never goes away. Just like His grace, His love, is sufficient. What makes me deserving of grace? His love. Follow Me :)
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