I think accepting God’s amazing grace is one of the hardest things to do. Not because its so unbelieveable, but because we are way too prideful as humans, and to put it bluntly, we suck. We make like all about us. We make life all about how much money we make, the things we own, and our social status. I’ve really been challenged by Francis Chan lately as my bible study and I are going through his book, “crazy love”.
I’m still missing the point. It is not our “job” as christians to live perfect lives that are pleasing to God, because we can’t and we won’t. My life has been so focused on following rules and aiming to “please God” that I have lost sight of everything He is all about, Love. I’ve lost sight of what its like to be in a holy perfect relationship with Jesus Christ. I want that back.
I love the point Francis made in his book that we can’t just love God on our own. We can’t just decide to start loving God and expect to fall completely head over heels for Him. We have to ask God to take over our hearts and mold them. We have to allow God to break our hard hearts and let them be filled with Him, then we can start loving like He has created us to.
Yes I sin, I mess up, I blow it, I make mistakes, and can keep going on and on about what I don’t do right, but what I finally have started to learn, is that being a Christian is about receiving a Grace that covers all of my past, and my future sins. When I start to do that and accept that Grace, and fall in love with Jesus, there is no guilt or shame. There is a grace that covers me. And I finally begin to fall in love with Jesus because of the right reasons. I start to fall in love with Him because He was willing to sacrifice His life for me. I start to love Him because His love is unconditional. I start to fall in love because I want to be more and more like Him, not to please Him, but because I simply just love Him. The things I chase on earth don’t seem worth anything, and I start to see my life here as temporary and realize that Grace can now be extended from me to others, and that Jesus wants to use me to glorify Him here.
And the best part? It’s 100% FREE and undeserved. Now I have a chance to live a life like I have received it, and that my sin is dead, because of the death Christ suffered, for me, for you, for us.
“But he 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.”-2 Corinthians 12:9
Cheers,
Brandon
