Just Grace.
A part of the journey I am on with God is learning and leaning into the nourishment of His grace. The definition of Grace I am working with is God’s unworked for favor and undeserved empowerment.
A few years ago Holy Spirit started to reveal to me all that God has already given to, invested in, and empowered me with. I believe I mentioned this before, but for a long time in my walk I constantly felt weak–felt like being a Christian was all about work, pouring out, all dying to myself and slaying the dragon of the flesh. But I very rarely felt filled, strong, or powerful; I didn’t feel–in my soul or spirit–full and alive. I quite honestly felt dead and this was after actively giving my life to Christ and making the decision to be his disciple.
But now, I am learning the life-giving, empowering aspects of having a relationship with God. Now don’t get me wrong–a part of learning from Jesus IS dying to the flesh, offering works of service, and suffering in a righteous manner. And following Jesus also means being healed, enriched, and strengthened by Grace. Jesus knew He was fully loved and empowered by God as He humbly submitted to Him.
Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:9, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by Grace not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.”
God’s generosity, His investment, His gifts, His empowerment strengthens our hearts. My heart is strongest when I am actively yielding and positioning myself to receive from Him. (Just like a breast feeding baby!) Being strengthened by Grace means to be made strong by all God’s offerings–not by my own work, achievement, and striving. This challenges me to learn to simply trust and receive–this is the posture that strengthens the human heart.
God is abundant and He is good and He is generous and He is constantly desiring to lean towards humanity with an open hand and heart. For a long time, I thought He was exacting, angry, hard, aloof, and unrelentlessly demanding. But as I learn more about His heart, I experience the soft intensity of His fatherly gaze, the gentle grip of His shepherd’s hand, and I am strengthened. My weaknesses are revealed but not condemened–my deficits are corrected in fatherly dignity–my purpose is affirmed–my well is poured into overflow.
His grace doesn’t make room for excuses of mine, but instead creates space for me to learn to take responsibility as a holy-loved daughter of God. And his pouring out of glorious Grace gives me the nutrients I need to grow up into Christ.
I hope you learn to experience it too.
Love and Light,
Kourtney Naomi
