It’s Thursday and someone is tempted to throw in the towel because things have become terrible, you’re terrified that you won’t come through this time, you’re toiling over your thinking, trembling because you’ve trespassed on someone else’s territory, transformed into someone threatening, trashed your temple, tainted your testimony and traded your treasure for troubles … oh but then there’s God’s amazing grace. In the dictionary grace is defined as the infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill shown to humankind by God. His grace that is sufficient for us even when we are in the belly of our sin. His grace that comes to see about us even when we aren’t well enough to see about ourselves. God’s grace, His amazing grace! In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was being used by God as he had been gifted with visions and revelations. Now, Paul says that he was given a thorn in his flesh (the Message Bible calls it a handicap) to keep him from becoming greater than who he was supposed to be but then Paul goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 12:8, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me (the thorn)” but then God simply replied in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” It was then and only then did Paul realize that no matter what he faced or went through, it was for a purpose for he said in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
See, God isn’t allowing you to go through that disease, pain, unemployment, harassment on the job, being lied on by folk, hurt by family, abused by your spouse and cast out by the world as a way to break you yet wherever you are weak it is where God is stronger. Why do you think you’re still living when you read the obituaries every day of folk dying from the same thing you complain about? How do you think you’ve been able to make it when some folks, who work with you, have filed bankruptcy 3 times? How do you think you’ve been able to keep going when some have committed suicide or turned to drugs or alcohol? It’s not you but its God who is in you. For Romans 11:6 says, “If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.” It ain’t about you baby! God’s grace isn’t because of us yet He gives it. God’s grace isn’t about us yet we have it. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast, Ephesians 2:8-9.” God’s grace is absolutely amazing!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; ‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.”
Lakisha, the Author 