Grace

When I looked up the word grace in the dictionary it said: The freely given, unmerited, (or undeserving) favor and love of God. As I think back on my life and all that I have been through, and yet still I am here, alive and full of joy and peace, loving and serving God, I know without a doubt it is because of the beautiful grace of God. Even though there were many things that I went through and that happened to me that I didn’t deserve; I was, as they say, an innocent victim of life’s corruptible circumstances, still, I had choices to make. And when faced with those decisions I did not make good choices. I chose to lie, steal, and cuss. I chose to fornicate, smoke marijuana and get drunk every day. Although I was ignorant about life and the consequences I would face in some situations, there were many things I knew were wrong. I knew certain things I did or acted upon would lead to bad circumstances. Rather than to do something good with my life, which seemed to me like so much hard work, it just seemed easier, and admittedly more fun to choose to give in, to the pleasures of a sinful life. Needless to say, I did face many horrible consequences because of those choices. I became dependent on drugs and alcohol, and I was in a horrible, toxic relationship for many years. I was uneducated, jobless, and depressed. 

I’m so grateful that God did not give up on me but He saved me by His Grace! When I was at my worst, He saved me. When I least expected it, He came into my life and showed me a better way. God delivered me instantly, with some things in my life, such as alcoholism. My attitude and character took more time, in order to learn how to choose better actions and reactions. And some things, like my lifestyle, took years of development, learning to replace bad habits with better ones. His grace is my strength, and I can come to Him with all confidence, knowing He loves me and wants to help me. He is a God full of mercy, love, and patience and has been there every step of the way. Without His saving Grace, I don’t know where I would be or if I would even be alive, but I do know it would have been a life full of misery and hopelessness. Thankfully, God chose to not leave me in the miserable state I was in. He sought me and saved me. He showed me how to live a better life, and He keeps showing me and helping me every day. Paraphrasing the words of  my Pastor, “It was His Grace that carried the guilty thief off of the cross and into paradise.” His Grace is truly undeserving and a precious gift. His grace is searching for you. Will you let Him in? 

James 4:17

Ephesians 2:8

Romans 5:8-9

Psalm 50:15

Colossians 4:6, Titus 2:11-12

2 Corinthians 12:9, Hebrews 4:16

Psalm 145:8 

Joshua 1:9

Luke 19:10

Romans 6:14