I've been trying to remember and purposely write down some of the lessons that I've learned over the last year as I've journeyed away from my CLB and discovering God's new road and plan for us. I just read a great article on the hindrances to grace, an article you'd love to read.
But it sparked a thought of another thing I've learned over the last year: God's grace has nothing to do with what I can do.
I know that this is the central theme of the Gospel, but I have learned this year that grace (favor) of God is so much more than simply salvation from sin. The grace of God that we've encountered this year is so sufficient. It truly doesn't depend on how good I am, or even how spiritual I may be. God's grace has been wrought in my life, because Jesus died for me to have it and I receive it by faith. It is not anything I can purchase through my works.
We just got done studying in Acts where the sorcerer was trying to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit from Peter. And we think, how ridiculous to believe you could buy a gift of God, but yet we do it all the time. We think that if we are "spiritual," we'll get more from God, or that because we tithe or that we pray 4 hours a day, that God will bless us. Sure, these activities are important and will help us grow spiritually, they definitely won't hurt us, but they are not the currency through which we buy the grace of God.
This is the lesson. Again, we have to place our trust in someone other than ourselves. I think this may be the greatest of all the struggles that Christians have. We all struggle with learning how to not depend on ourselves, but to lean wholly onto God and trust His provision in every arena of life.
It is funny; the other day Joanne and I were talking about this and I mentioned how God had been providing very specifically for us lately and I actually said, "I am so glad to see that God is taking care of us and every time he comes through just when we need him to, but I just don't like having to trust him!!" But this is the truth of where we as disciples are, Jesus was always saying, "oh, you have such little faith." It wasn't that we don't believe he can do it, we just want to do it for him, or be independant from him and make it work ourselves. It's the original lie...to be like him, without the sacrifice.
So this lesson learned: it's not by my works, my efforts, my spirituality that I can do anything, but ONLY by his grace.
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3 comments:
Another great blog, keep it up.
I keep saying that I cannot add another blog to my list on Google Reader.
But...
Yours I added yesterday. I actually went back and read everything you had written in both this blog and the older one. My eyes teared up both for all that was written and all that went unsaid.
I told my daughter yesterday after she was hurt by a conversation from a friend who has the attitude that she just needs to do more, believe more and have faith, that she does not need to talk to anyone at this point in her life that does not have a limp. Only those with a limp will be able to encourage her. The rest will either make her mad or leave her doubting her God.
You have a limp. I am anxious to read what God does in the future. Plase keep writing. Thanks
Former Leader
"they are not the currency through which we buy the grace of God."
so true. and i loved how you mentioned that you know it's a central truth of the Gospel, but you've really learned about it in the past year. it's so amazing how God can really teach us the most simple Truths even when we think we already know them.
Good stuff!
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