God’s Grace Alone

When I first got saved, like most of us, I felt like I was on fire. Any and everything was God (and still is). But one thing that came along with all of this was a false understanding of something on my part.

In short, I believed that my relationship with God was being sustained by my obedience.

At first, I didn't think that I would last long in salvation. I thought it was something that I had borrowed time with. Because before, I'd always return to my mess after feeling "good"; I always ended up with no peace.

And with God, something I've realized is that every time I thought I "messed everything up," He was right there. It brings the Scriptures "My grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9), that He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 94:14), and that by grace we are saved, not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8–9), to life.

I've always read that last Scripture and thought I understood it. But I never lived it in my heart...because I never did understand it. And I have the humility to say, I am still learning this very thing today. What do you mean not by my own works? How then? How do I receive this love? How do I receive grace? I've never had this before. You mean to tell me that despite the shame I feel, He's saying, "Let's go".... STILL????

His grace alone.

I can look at these Scriptures and understand that it HAS to be by His grace alone because if I'm the one who needs to learn (Isaiah 1:17), that means I won't always get it right. My obedience itself is something God is still forming in me. So there's no way that my relationship with God could be sustained by my obedience to Him. It would never last. I can't make it last by doing anything. It's by His grace alone.

I am taking this in right now. It's easy to say, and easy to say you understand, but this is a heart posture change. This is me killing my pride. And I have to see this and take this in.

It's not on me to sustain anything; I can't. It's not in my hands to sustain the peace I thought was on borrowed time. It's just on me to believe God's Word that says that the peace He left with me is not the peace I've known and is not from this world (John 14:27), and live like it. Meaning, keep moving forward; learning and trusting.

His peace is everlasting; life everlasting. That's what sets it apart from the world and my previous experience of always going back to my mess. And He is the One who sustains. It's His love. His grace. His mercy. It's not anything I can do. And there's nothing in this world that can come between God's love for us (Romans 8:38–39)..... He came for all of me, and you.

It's like a father and child. A parent doesn’t love their child because of something they did or can do; they can talk well, play sports well, play an instrument well; nothing. There's nothing they do that makes you love them and want what's best for them. There's no explanation. And there doesn't need to be.

It's love.

God outlasts what I must grow from. And His Word is true; there's no part of me that He'd leave because of. Nothing. He stays. There's nothing that I must grow from that He hasn't already known or that He'd leave me because of. There's absolutely nothing. I can't shake this Guy😂. He's shown me He ain't going anywhere if I don't. And I don't want to. It's really real. There is no "end" with Him; it's everlasting. Life everlasting.

It's a new level of trust. A new level of letting go. No striving or trying to sustain anything. Releasing my grip on my own life; now it’s just knowing and learning who God is.

That's eternal life (John 17:3).