My grace is sufficient for you, says the Lord.
No, I say, it's not.
I don't like getting free stuff. What I get for free doesn't belong to me. I didn't earn it. Let me DO something for this, I tell God. I can't accept this gift.
In saying this, in listening to my heart, I know that I am ruled by pride.
Again and again, the duel between pride and grace stymies my Christian life. They thrust and parry constantly. I just can't let grace win.
But life provides lots of good examples of why my attitude is wrong, why pride deceives, why it directs me to destruction. Do you remember when Darth Vader tried to kill Obi Wan Kenobi? They fought for awhile, then Obi Wan just smiled a little, lifted his light saber, crossed his arms, and stepped back and let Darth deal the killing blow. He fell into a pile of wrinkled robes and we thought him dead. But he wasn't. He became transcendent, even more powerful.
That's grace. It will let pride toy with it, but it will hang around and hang around until, finally, when I finally give in, give up, grace wins. Every time. Like the good guys. Like Kenobi.
He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."--2 Corinthians 12:9
Gotta love a happy ending.
A-to-the-Men! I'll be sharing this with a very special friend of mine. You've found good words for something we've been discussing lately. Grateful that you linked up today.
ReplyDeleteJoanne:
ReplyDeleteI have often struggled in believing His grace is sufficient. I think in our society, we beleive that we must "do" something in order to earn. But thank God for His grace - unmerited favor, given in love.
Blessings,
Joan
I know it's hard to believe God's grace is sufficient...I hate to say it but there are days it just doesn't seem like enough. But I am learning to believe and accept that it is.
ReplyDeleteLove the Star Wars reference!!
Blessings to you!