Grace Enough

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Galatians 6:9

No matter how much you love others, the fact that you are human means you will have times when you get discouraged over the actions/words/inaction of others. We beat ourselves up over the disappointment it but it’s inevitable. However, the more we search the scriptures for a more appropriate worldview, these times will occur less frequently and less severe. Life is a process.

People are going to disappoint us. We live in a world where everything and everyone is broken because of sin. Now I know that according to many people, the word “sin” is a curse word. It isn’t preached in many churches and many Christians don’t want to use it for fear of being thought judgmental and therefore, face persecution. But you can’t explain life or people at all without taking about the foundation of which it all started.

The thing about sin is this: We are all infected. Once we  1. See the nature of our own hearts, 2. See what’s been done for us to atone for it and 3. Begin a relationship with the One who can change us, we can begin to offer grace to other sinners like ourselves. We Christians are thought to quite the hypocritical bunch by non-believers, and many times we are. We tend to forget who we are, and what has been given to us. 

But here’s the thing -- being changed is a process that never ends prior to our exit from this world. We need lots of grace just to make it through a day, and even when we don't feel like we have what we need - we do. If we need grace so frequently, why would we think a non-believer wouldn't need it? Everyone needs it - no matter how spiritually mature they are. And it’s so critical for us to show others how precious God’s love is by offering grace to them.

Grace, according to Miriam Webster , is:

• is unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.
• a special favor.
• disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency.
• a temporary exemption.
• the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful.

If you want people to see God, show them His love by showing grace. He has given the power to do so to those who believe in Him. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter that we don’t get what we want when eternity is at stake. It doesn't encourage anyone to follow Christ when we put our own expectations and feelings above showing them the very love God never deprives us of.

No matter what religion you practice, I’m sure you can agree that we learn by making some mistakes and seeing some real ugliness in ourselves (the need for change). That’s why Jesus said we must remain connected to the vine. You can’t see your true heart the way God sees it, much less change yourself without the mercy and power of the Lord. You can read and puff yourself up with knowledge all day long but it will never compare to the power of the Holy Spirit – never.

"But knowledge puffs up while love builds up." 1 Corinthians 8:1

The point I’m trying to make it this: give yourself and others a little bit of room. You are going to fail them they will fail you. The grace God has given you IS enough. He also commands you to show others just how He has empowered you by offering grace to others. And once you start practicing grace, you’ll start to see miracles happen in your life and in your relationships.

Fight the good fight, finish the race.
 

Called for Change

Life is unstable; we all know that, right? I don’t know a single person who doesn’t claim to know it, yet doesn’t resist change in some area of life. All throughout scripture, God calls about change- from Adam and Eve to the disciples. All throughout life we experience change, starting from birth and going through old age the message is consistent: we can’t get too comfortable with this life.

I am a creature of habit. I have some crazy OCD-like traits. For one thing, I become easily frustrated with procrastination and disorganization. I love to, and many times think i need to have a plan. These are both strengths and weaknesses because although they help me to remain predictable and responsible, they also make it extremely hard for me to go along for the ride whenever life calls for it. And there have been time when I've needed to relax but couldn't. This has always been a huge area of struggle for me, although it’s getting easier because I have a spouse who complements me in this way. He encourages me not to find my worth in what I do. He encourages me to relax more and stress less. The Lord has really used him to help me not to be so high strung.

I’ve been convicted over my resistance to change and my inflexibility. When we become believers of the gospel of Christ, we adopt the very concept of change at the deepest level. In fact, we beg for it, right? Then when we get it, we mope, whine and pout as if we are going through some crisis. I am convinced that the human race can be summed up as insatiable gluttons for punishment because, and only because I see it in myself.

I also hear it in fellow Christians, “Why can’t _______ just adapt?” In the same breath they gripe about their own struggle of adapting to change. We are so hard on those who struggle to adapt, yet we excuse away our own resistance as if it’s somehow justified. Of course scripture says that God doesn’t change but God is already perfect. We aren’t. We are constantly in desperate need of change.

God called Moses to go back to Egypt after he fled with his family. He wanted to use him for something great but every step of that journey came with a need to further adapt. Earlier this week, I was watching the movie “The Ten Commandments.” In the scene where Moses and his wife made the trip back to Egypt as God commanded, Moses looked at his wife and said, “You’d think if God wants me to do something, He would make it easy.” Whoa! There was no denying I needed to hear that statement reflecting that very attitude in my own heart.

Repentance pretty much sums up change in the life of a Christian. At the most basic level, repentance is change. It begins with a change of heart that spreads to impact everything we think, say and do. Rick Warren said, “You are not preaching the gospel unless you are preaching repentance.” The gospel should constantly change us by exposing more and more of our hearts. There is no point at which we are alive and can say, “I’ve arrived. I know it all and have it all figured out.” No matter how old we get, how “mature” we think we are, we still need the ever-cleansing change that only Christ can make in our hearts. And might I add that God uses the most unlikely people and circumstances to teach us. Everything in life can be used to mature us and draw us closer to Him if we will just listen.

We don’t have to fear change. We can be Biblically sound, open to growth while using wisdom that scripture teaches us. If you know that the greatest miracles God performs are those changes of the heart, it’s because you’ve experienced it firsthand. And if you have experienced it, can you agree that it’s quite rewarding to see those changes impact every area of our lives? And if you don’t know the Lord, do you want to? If you do, I encourage you to write to me at jenntravis@live.com. I have a lot to learn, but I do know that our God is the expert of change and makes it all worthwhile.