Let Grace do the Work

After my last two posts talked about addictions ( Little Addictions (Sugar) and Little Addictions II (Social Media) ) and how we need to cling to Jesus to deal with our behaviours I wanted to write a post about God’s grace.  How we see ourselves and how we believe God sees us are very important to our daily practical lives, not just our spiritual lives  (because really our daily humdrum is spiritual). I didn’t want us all to focus so much on the work ahead of us that we forget that it’s already done in Jesus.  

Jesus Already Won the Fight

Jesus has set us free, he has won the fight with addiction or sin, whatever that may be.  We are simply walking out our faith.  We are running the race set out for us as Hebrews 12:1 says, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith….”.  The thing we need to remember is that we are not running on our own strength, but Christ’s.  We are not ever given instruction by God and then left to our own devices to figure it out or do it alone.  As we “tap” into Jesus we are given what we need to keep going.  And sometimes keeping going means we are just standing, not even walking, but simply standing where we are.  

I don’t want you or I to get so upset with where we are failing that we take our eyes off of Jesus.  I admit I have done that a lot.  The way I have sometimes talked to myself in my own head is a way I would never think of talking to a friend.   That is just how the enemy of our soul likes it.  He doesn’t even have to do much to take us down if we are doing to ourselves.  We need to take those thoughts captive. The key to change this ugly situation is to focus not on my faults, my failures and mistakes (no matter how big or small) but to realize that not even God, the creator of the universe is looking at those things.  He is looking at a child he loves and he sees us cleansed as he has taken our sin from us.  

The Righteousness Plan was Jesus

A pastor I had in a church years ago preached about grace all the time.  Oftentimes, he admitted to repeating himself but he was determined to get this idea into our hearts and minds.   That idea was that we are the righteousness of God through Christ.  “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Corinthians 5:21.   When God looks at us he doesn’t see our sin the way we do.  Our Father sees us through the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins.  God knew we could never be sinless, perfect.  He fully expected you and I were going to mess up and He had a plan to deal with it.  The plan was Jesus.  

Who Do I think I am?

The thing that I remind myself about may sound weird at first but stay with me here.  The reminder is this:  “How bad do I think I am, that the strength and mercy and power of God can’t deal with it?  Do I think I am stronger than God in my sin, that it can overpower His love?   Am I, the created, beyond the Creator’s ability to fix me?”   

If God Himself does not condemn me because of Jesus, who am I to argue?  HIs love and favour has never been something that I could earn.  It is a gift, an overwhelming gracious gift we could never repay.  And he knows it.  

Grace Changes Our Perspective

Operating from this truth changes the way we live.  We continue to work out our faith and do what needs to be done but we have a different energy and attitude about it.  We have already won!  Joy and faith is present in our personal struggles because our job is simply seeking of Him.  

Jesus accepts you and He begins cleaning you up. Believe me, I thank him for it! Nothing is as beautifully overwhelming as his love and unwarranted grace and favour.

Below is a link to Max Lucado book I mentioned above if interested.

https://www.christianbook.com/grace-more-than-deserve-greater-imagine/max-lucado/9780529117694/pd/911769?product_redirect=1&search_term=grace%20max%20&Ntt=911769&item_code=&ps_exit=PRODUCT&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP