Preview 8 - "The Day I Stopped Trying"

I type out this blog post the day after doing some mechanical work on my daughter's car. Nothing too serious. I replaces a thermostat. Simple. Right?!? It's been years since I've done this. Like any well-intentioned Father, I looked it up on You Tube. I mean...anything you need to know how to do is on You Tube. Right? Anyway, I got it done. Sort of. Got the heater to working, but could not get the car to stop leaking anti-freeze. I called a friend who is a little more experienced in mechanics than I am. He checked over my work by taking it apart and putting it back together. Same problem. When I called for an update he said, "The good news is that it's not the gasket. The bad news is that the housing is cracked." Long story short, we got it fixed. All is right in the world.

This little event got me to thinking. (Imagine that!) I had the knowledge that I needed to fix the problem. She needed a new thermostat. With all of my effort, I took this knowledge and put it to work. And I sort of fixed the problem. Sort of. If it wasn't for a good friend, I would have spent hundreds of dollars on a mechanic. I needed someone who could look for things I couldn't see. Someone who could get to the root of the problem. Someone with experience.

The whole purpose of this book is not to say that I have all the answers. It's not to simply share with you my knowledge of the grace of God. No, this book is meant to share with you my experience of grace. To show you what life can look like with grace on the front end, rather than needing the grace on the back end. It's meant to change your focus. To understand that grace is meant to empower you, supply your needs, and keep you moving forward in life. Grace is more than just a clean-up crew. Grace is a game changer.

Knowledge isn't enough. It's one thing to know about the grace of God, and quite another to experience His grace in everyday life. There's grace for the mundane, and Grace for the extravagant. Grace for the little things, and Grace for the big stuff. I believe that it is our Father's intention to ensure that you have everything you need for life and godliness. In fact, He has already provided it. But knowing this is not enough. Repeating a bunch of verses will not suffice. At some point we have to put some skin in the game. We have to take action on what we believe. We have to trust the heart of our Father.

The Ability to Endure Hardships
The Apostle Paul discovered the grace of God in his weakness. So much so, that he was willing to boast of his weaknesses. What did he find? He found the strength to keep moving forward. He found the ability to overcome the thorn in the flesh. Rather than seeing the thorn removed, he was able to endure. This is what we find in the grace of God. Not a retreat, but an advancement into a greater existence. Power, life, perseverance, are in full supply.

The Ability to Overcome Temptation
"God will, with each temptation, make a way of escape."
Here's what you need to KNOW: Every temptation comes with an escape route.
This is not the same as enduring hardships. Those we press through. When it comes to temptation, there is a way to not be overtaken. When you settle in your mind and heart that every time you are tempted there is a way of escape, the grace of God will show you the way. While He never forces you, He will guide you. You just need to recognize it. You need to see it. You need to act upon it.

The Ability to Be Victorious
I saw one of those "cute" little church signs the other day that talked about exercise. "Walk with God and run from satan." I find it interesting that we are never told to run. Scripture tells us to resist. This is how grace works.
"Submit to God" - this is the whole of your being committed to Him. This is your thought life and your actions coming under His Lordship.
"Resist the devil" - rather than run, you stand fast. There's grace for this. Remember, you are fighting a defeated foe.
"He will flee" - in the grace of God, you don't run. He does.
Remember the words of John, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." Greatness does not run.

The Ability to Get the Most Out of Life
Peter said that it is His divine power that has given us everything for life and godliness.
Jesus told his followers that they would experience abundant life.
The grace of God does not assure us green meadows, rainbows, and unicorns. However, it does assure us of the presence and power of the Lord in our lives. As we get acclimated to this way of life, we discover that consistency is the norm. We continually find ourselves living out of our identity in Christ.

One Final Word
I have heard people say, "Well...I have tried that and it didn't work." It's amazing to me that these same people fall right back into the vicious cycle of self-empowerment. Believing that they can do it in their own strength. It's this approach that makes the grace of God of no affect in our lives. I'm not saying that you will be perfect. I'm not saying that even with a grace mindset that you will get it right 100% of the time. What I am saying is that every time you trust in the grace of God for you, you will experience the grace of God in you. He never fails. What we often don't see are the cracks in the housing. The areas of our life that knowledge alone could not reveal. The places where self-doubt, self-hatred, and insecurity have held us back. This is where the Holy Spirit does His greatest work. As He continues to speak to you concerning your identity, He also gives you the ability to believe fully in the finished work of Christ in you that is waiting to be revealed. You are in a process of being conformed into the image of Christ. A journey. A lifetime filled with learning, discovery, and realization. This doesn't happen overnight. This is a marathon not a sprint. This is not microwave Christianity. Like many of the great things in life, it takes time.

There is grace for the journey. Enjoy every minute.