This morning I heard a renowned pediatrician and child psychologist on Christian radio talking about the important role a father plays in a child’s life. It caused me to reflect on my dad, and the effect his presence has had on my life.
It’s well known that our childhood experience drives us toward certain behaviors or attitudes, sometimes carried throughout our adult lives. No one had it perfect. Where there was lack, we often seek to fill the void, sometimes with things that bring more pain than blessing.
If we’re honest, in different ways we’re all broken people—in need of filling what C.S. Lewis called the “God-shaped hole” in every human heart. Jesus Christ fills the void of our brokenness by restoring us into relationship with our Creator, the only one who fills the deepest longings of our hearts for love, purpose, and hope.
A heart of humility recognizes its limitations, and is willing to admit its failures, weaknesses, and need. It willingly receives the grace that God freely bestows to the humble.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
The Christian life is all about grace—the free and unmerited favor of God.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Grace is written all over our lives, for those who have eyes to see. The apostle Paul did, to the end he was able to say “I delight in weaknesses . . . in difficulties.” He recognized where his strength came from.
But he [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
God so freely extends His grace and goodness that we are exhorted to be strong in grace.
Pause today and reflect upon God’s grace in your life.
With thankful hearts, may we echo Paul’s words, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”
His grace is enough.
Always enough. Thank you, Cheryl. How grateful I am for all God provides each and every day.
Well said!
Learning to become more humble has been one of the greatest keys to receiving God’s grace – true grace that I don’t deserve, but joyfully accept. Humility and brokenness before God open the door for Him to work much greater in our lives.
Thanks for the reminder to stay humble!
Amen