'Grace:' Such an Amazing Word
Grace. Literally one of my favorite words. It just sounds pretty, ya know?
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound” .... my favorite hymn. The Chris Tomlin version, instant waterworks.
Confession: sometimes when I drive at night and no one can see me, I belt out Amazing Grace in my car like the Whitney Houston I am!
I often go back in time to my grandparent’s house on the farm; sharing the piano bench with my grandma, while we sang Amazing Grace. It was her favorite, too. I didn’t even understand the full meaning of the words back then, but now I do. It REALLY is amazing grace. So powerful.
Grace has various meanings, but spiritually speaking, grace is the healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s favor even though I am a mess of a person most days.
Can I get an Amen?
The way I look rolling out of bed is really the way I feel all the time. Can you relate? Yikes, right?
Flawed, But I Feel His Grace
I am flawed through and through. I act on impulse, I run my mouth, and I have my dad’s temper. I often end my days with thoughts of “I probably said too much.” “maybe I shouldn’t have done that,” or “I probably should have prayed about that before I reacted.” Let's just say I’m a constant work in progress.
No matter how hard I try, I fall short. I often feel ashamed, unworthy, and less than. But you know what? It is at my lowest moments that I feel God’s grace and mercy the most. His grace is sufficient.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
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 prosecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am strong.
My struggles are a lot like my piles of dirty laundry. Sometimes the laundry is overwhelming, I’d rather just ignore it, pretend it’s not there. That’s like pretending I don’t need a hairbrush in the morning........who am I kidding?
Do you have days where your dirty laundry of doubts, regrets, and maybe even fears keep piling up, too? You are not alone. This is your opportunity to lean into Jesus. He is patiently waiting for you.
God does His best work in us during our weakest moments, when we are honest with ourselves, and with Him. We are made new through His forgiveness that brings unending mercy and grace every day. What a relief, right? It sounds so simple........because it really is. There’s no level of Christianity or number of good deeds needed to receive His grace.
Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
WAIT! We can’t stop there. We must accept His grace and pass it on. Why hold onto something that’s so freely given to us? Share it, give it, show it, live it. The world needs it so badly right now. Look around you.......really look! There are so many lost souls that need the hope only found in Jesus.
Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
We are broken people, all of us. Be grace. And don’t forget to brush your hair.
~Serena Cahoon
The Whimsical Soul