Not about me {day 20 ...}

"But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
    So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)"... 2 Cor 12:9-10 Amplified Bible

a couple of my friends posted this on facebook recently .... I love the Amplified version .... so often we make Grace about what we do instead of what God has done or continues to do .... come on you know you do it too! We slip back into the pattern of beleiving that God loves us but His every day unmerited favor isn't for us .... unless we do our best ....  how easily the lies and thoughts creep back in that yes God loves me enough to die for me is true but I still need to do my best everyday to make Him happy.

While it is true that we need to strive to live our lives for Christ daily, to pursue Him wholeheartedly it is His very grace which enables me to do so and YET it is not what I do or do not do today which makes Him gracious towards me, my actions do not make Him love me anymore or any less. Just as a parent loves their child even when they misbehave so God loves me.

Soak that in a minute ..... He LOVES me no matter what .... of course there are consequences in life but does this knowledge not impart REST to your soul? ... secure in the knowledge that He loves me even when I fail I can then and only then begin to seek Him daily, to love Him well. For it is in my very weaknesses and failings that He is glorified when I say "I can't do this without God" ....

The Gospel Coalition  has a great post today as well on grace and what it means for daily living .....