How God Gives Us Grace Under Fire
'When we stand stripped of all our accustomed defenses, we are candidates for God's generous grace.
' Erwin W.
Lutzer, author of One Minute After You Die: A Preview of Your Final Destination.
I woke up this morning wishing I had a magic wand.
Is this normal for someone who believes in God rather than the Fairy Godmother? If I had a magic wand I would stop my friend from having to go through Chemotherapy, I would give an amazing job or pots of money to everyone I know who has a job that crushes them, I would make my children not fight over who opens the car door, I would invent a Husband of the Year Award with a £10 million prize and my husband Steve would win! I would scatter joy like rose petals throughout the land.
But I'm not the Fairy Godmother, and I do believe in God.
There again, if I think people deserve a break, then surely my loving God does? If I think people I know and love have earned the right to a miracle, surely God who loves us beyond understanding thinks the same? Apparently not.
And this is where a lot of people walk away.
They get so fixed on their flashing red beacon of a problem that they stop seeing God at all.
They get hurt, angry or just plain worn out.
A bit like the time before a Divorce when there is nothing left to say.
Silence.
So what is left when you have nothing left? What is left when you find yourself incapable, immobile or unable? The answer is Grace, Amazing Grace.
This is how Thesaurus.
com defines Grace: Mercy, forgiveness, compassion, favour, generosity, good will, goodness, kindness, leniency, love, pardon, responsiveness, tenderness.
Grace is what God is waiting to give us when we reach the end of our own resources.
But Grace comes at the expense of my ego.
My ego says, 'I've done something to accomplish or deserve this, haven't I?' or 'Surely I deserve better than this?'.
Grace comes when I take myself out of the equation and put God in.
Moment by moment, breath by breath, one day at a time.
So at times when we are unable to stand, it's time to fall into His mercy, forgiveness, compassion, favour, generosity, good will, goodness, kindness, leniency, love, pardon, responsiveness and tenderness.
Moment by moment, breath by breath, one day at a time.
'God told me, "My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
"â?¨Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen.
I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift.
It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size-abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.
I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
' 2 Corinthians 12 v9-10, The Message.
He believes in you!
' Erwin W.
Lutzer, author of One Minute After You Die: A Preview of Your Final Destination.
I woke up this morning wishing I had a magic wand.
Is this normal for someone who believes in God rather than the Fairy Godmother? If I had a magic wand I would stop my friend from having to go through Chemotherapy, I would give an amazing job or pots of money to everyone I know who has a job that crushes them, I would make my children not fight over who opens the car door, I would invent a Husband of the Year Award with a £10 million prize and my husband Steve would win! I would scatter joy like rose petals throughout the land.
But I'm not the Fairy Godmother, and I do believe in God.
There again, if I think people deserve a break, then surely my loving God does? If I think people I know and love have earned the right to a miracle, surely God who loves us beyond understanding thinks the same? Apparently not.
And this is where a lot of people walk away.
They get so fixed on their flashing red beacon of a problem that they stop seeing God at all.
They get hurt, angry or just plain worn out.
A bit like the time before a Divorce when there is nothing left to say.
Silence.
So what is left when you have nothing left? What is left when you find yourself incapable, immobile or unable? The answer is Grace, Amazing Grace.
This is how Thesaurus.
com defines Grace: Mercy, forgiveness, compassion, favour, generosity, good will, goodness, kindness, leniency, love, pardon, responsiveness, tenderness.
Grace is what God is waiting to give us when we reach the end of our own resources.
But Grace comes at the expense of my ego.
My ego says, 'I've done something to accomplish or deserve this, haven't I?' or 'Surely I deserve better than this?'.
Grace comes when I take myself out of the equation and put God in.
Moment by moment, breath by breath, one day at a time.
So at times when we are unable to stand, it's time to fall into His mercy, forgiveness, compassion, favour, generosity, good will, goodness, kindness, leniency, love, pardon, responsiveness and tenderness.
Moment by moment, breath by breath, one day at a time.
'God told me, "My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
"â?¨Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen.
I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift.
It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size-abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.
I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
' 2 Corinthians 12 v9-10, The Message.
He believes in you!
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