But by the grace of God I am what I am – 1 Corinthians 15:10
I have been in a very interesting season with the Lord. Like many in the body of Christ. I have been questioning many things, perhaps too many to enumerate in this piece. But clearly, I have been very concerned that there seems to be a major gap between my experiences and what I see written in the scriptures and what I have apprehended as God’s promises to me. Don’t get me wrong, I am not suffering a crisis of faith, but I am asking questions, so I can make the adjustments needed to align myself properly with the will of God for my life.
This search has led me to be very vulnerable, broken and sober about many things. Are we different from the church in the book of acts? Why are we losing so many people? Why does it appear that we are regressing rather than advancing? What has happened to the power of God? Why are we not apprehending all that the Lord has provided for us in His word? Are we lacking in faith? Are we less committed to the Lord in devotions and prayers? What is the problem? Why?
Amid this excruciating search, I began to see a glimmer of light break through this fog. I saw something that captured my heart and gave me some level of comfort. What is this light?
Let me say, that I began to discover a consistent factor in all the lives of those who God has used powerfully, those who have obtained the promises of God in their lives, those who seem to have ‘broken through’ as we say. No, it is not their faith. It is something other than their faith. From Noah to Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Nehemiah, Ezra, all the prophets, the Apostles and those in the church today I can honestly say have broken through.
I can see clearly that they received GRACE! Simply put Grace was given to them. It is a grace thing. It is the grace factor. Nothing else but the grace of God. This simple truth has liberated me. It has set me heart free and given me joy like I never expected. It has lifted a heavy weight from my heart and given me a new impetus in seeking the Lord. Grace.
I discovered that grace is God’s ability where man’s ability fails. It is God’s excellence in our rubbishness. It is God taking us much further than our strength and power can ever reach. It is God stepping into your life and making you become the person He ordained you to be. Let me tell you, no one can ever boast that they became great because they did anything right. It must be that God gave you grace.
Without the grace, we struggle. We need to recognise that it is the grace that makes the difference.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
This is a new day for me and I pray for you too. I commend you to His grace like Paul again said in Acts 20:32 New King James Version (NKJV)
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
So, let go and let God in. Let His grace be made available to you and you will suddenly start experiencing the dimensions of His abilities working in your disabilities.