Saturday, August 31, 2013

Extra Measure of Grace

Since I am an awful blogger, I thought I would preface this by saying I wrote it over a week ago. haha!

How many times have we prayed, "Lord, just give me an extra measure of grace today? I need it."

I caught myself saying that yesterday. I was weary and I knew what was best. Surely, since I felt so sick and was so tired, God had somehow messed up. At least that is how I was acting.

Now, go back and count how many times I just used the reference, "I". At least 5 times, right? Perhaps yesterday, I failed to even look for God in any of the situations I found myself in. The God that was, is and will be faithful to me as I was constantly reminded this summer.

 
"But, I didn't get to say goodbye to Michala before she left for GSU!"
OR
"But, Lord, thank You for the five years I DID get to spend with her having fun and walking through life together!"
 
 
"But, how am I supposed to be held accountable and grow in my walk with Candler in Mississippi?"
OR
"God, thank You for the Holy Spirit and all the work He does in the lives of Your children. Thank You for preparing sisters in Christ that I can serve and disciple!"
 
 
 
Conviction. Not condemnation, but the Lord is blessing me with conviction that I desire to share. By witnessing situations in my own life, I have come to realize that by asking for an "extra" measure of grace, I am denying the biggest and most satisfying amount of grace that has ever been given freely to me- a resurrected Savior. It is time that I rest in the Gospel that our pastor describes every week!
 
John 7:37-39
" 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
 
Hebrews 10:23
" 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
 
Hebrews 11:39-40
" 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."
 
Hebrews 13:5-6
" 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' 6 So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'”