2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
So many times, we hear the wonderful words, “Grace is sufficient”. Words of hope for many of us. Words that tell us no matter how bad we mess up, no matter how far we fall, that Grace is sufficient and we are always only one step away from returning to God in repentance. For it is in the moments we fall, the moments we are weak, the moments we fall short that God’s strength shines through.

But what is Grace? Grace, in biblical terms, is God’s favor toward the unworthy. It is the beautiful gift of forgiveness and blessings even though we fall short and are so undeserving of such mercy.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Paul Zahl said: Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it. What a beautiful gift to be given even though we are far from deserving. But without Grace, we could not be saved. Yet so many believe that Grace means you can continue to live the old life you once had.
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.

Grace makes us alive. It pulls us from our graves of sin and death and shows us the true meanings of freedom and love. Does this mean we will never sin again? No. We are human and to be human is to err. We are not perfect beings, we cannot follow rules perfectly and get it right. If we could, we would not need Jesus. However, we should not be actively pursuing or choosing things we know are a sin, things we have been delivered from. Will we mess up? Yes, but it should bring us no joy. The things of our old lives will hurt us because we now have the Holy Spirit within us.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Grace is not freedom to sin but a gift from God. A gift that strengthens us to overcome sin and live in a way that honors God. Grace helps us to live in a righteous manner, not under the law but in a true and deep relationship with God. Would you want to hurt, disappoint or mistreat those you care for, love and are in a deep and meaningful relationship with? We could not lie to our friends, be cruel or mean to our children, mistreat our spouses and then hide under the grace that they love you and would forgive you. That is wrong and is not the path to a healthy relationship built on trust, respect, and love. Unlimited forgiveness does not equal a license to unlimited sin. If, we were to have a true encounter with God, we would not want to sin. We would find ourselves looking more to God for direction, asking Him to remove traits and fruits that are not of Him. We would welcome the moments that teach us to be more like Him. Even when they seem daunting or tough, we know that he means well for us.

I pray we each take a moment to ask God to touch our lives, remove the sin we cling to so tightly, afraid to give up the fleshly comforts we have grown to love and cherish so dearly. Our little hits of pleasure that leave us more and more empty and searching for something to fill us. May we turn to God, may we hand our lives, our hearts, and our minds over to Him fully with unyielding trust that He will fill us beyond measure. I pray each of us find there is nothing, and no one like God that can take us and completely transform us into something better and new. May we purposefully step away from the things we know are sin and ask God to show us the things we are unaware are sins. May we remember the beautiful gift of Grace and live a life that honors God and that gift. I pray that in moments when people test you, that you remember Grace is sufficient for all, even your enemies or people you think are undeserving because you too were once in their shoes, walking their path, living in your grave of sin and death. May God touch your heart, ease your minds, and fill you so full that you overflow with His light and love. Blessings, love and prayer always as we walk in a Jesus filled life.