2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
Do you ever feel like a complete failure?
A failure as a spouse.
A failure as a friend.
A failure as an employee.
A failure as a parent.
But mostly a failure as a child of God.
There are times in my life that I feel I am running step by step with God. We are dancing along with each step of my obedience. I feel I am accomplishing His purpose for my life and there is an unexplainable joy. However, there are other times, due to my disobedience, I feel I have failed to the point of thinking I will never return to those times of joy, like I missed a turn somewhere, and now I’m on a path I don’t recognize. It makes me not even recognize myself. This path makes me feel lost, discontent, and unwanted. In those moments, I feel like a failure. I feel I am letting everyone around me down, and the most heartbreaking thought is that I am disappointing God, the One that I promised to serve and sacrifice my life to with every breath I take. I ask myself, “What has happened to me? How have I gotten to a place of such apathy, laziness and selfishness?” In the midst of that burden of guilt I hear, “But Grace.” I hear, “It doesn’t matter how, why, or what brings you here. What matters is what are you going to do to move back in line with the Holy Spirit. What steps are you going to take to realign your heart with God? Stop making rules for yourself. Stop saying I have to do this or that, or God won’t bless me. Start being obedient to a daily relationship with your Father. Stop putting stipulations on your walk with Me. Stop setting yourself up for failure. My plans and purposes for your life do not begin or end with you doing exactly what you think I want you to do. It begins and ends with our relationship. Start there, be obedient to that, and I promise I will meet you there.”
God’s grace calls me back. His still, small voice exudes grace, never condemnation.
His loving kindness guides, but never points to my failures with accusations.
He convicts with the hope of restoration, not with the intentions to heap on guilt.
He points to the relationship, not to the unattainable expectations.
His grace brings freedom, not bondage.
That unexplainable grace opens wide the door of His enduring love.
Grace, Grace, God’s grace is never ending.
It is the hope we must cling to and the path we must run down when our failures become overwhelming.
I pray that whenever you find yourself in a pit of your failures, you hear that voice cry out and those comforting words, “BUT GRACE!”
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