Grace Seeker

1 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Today at church, I took notes furiously in my little pink moleskin journal as our pastor Mark preached. I really really really like preaching ;). I cannot believe how encouraged, spurred on, joyful and rebuked all at once my heart is when I hear the Word of God read aloud and preached on. It is the time I am most receptive to correction and when I am shouting inside the most, “feed me!” And today I feasted. I haven’t been in three weeks and so I was reminded in full how I had missed sitting at my pastor’s feet, sitting in the row with my friends, and worshipping among a crowd of somewhat strangers who are all closer than family because of our hearts.

I was encouraged today to be a “grace seeker.” Those words were not only good to my soul but that exhortation to me was already recognizably alive in my heart because it’s what the Holy Spirit has been whispering to me. Last year I read one of my favorite books called Humility, by CJ Mahaney. In one chapter he addresses the pride that exists underneath criticism. I wish I had it with me so I could quote like the entire chapter. But he says that one way to fight this criticism is to watch for evidences of grace in your life or perhaps in particular in the person’s life with whom you choose to be critical so that you can see what God is doing in you/them. Since reading that I have felt compelled the past six months or so to be watching and waiting for evidences of God’s grace in my marriage, my husband, and others I look at with criticism.

Pastor Mark was passionately emphatic about us opening our minds and our hearts to God’s grace. He reminded us that the Holy Spirit exists to show us God’s good. And this goodness, this grace, is all around us. There is common grace for all people, both believers and non, like the sun and the rain and other blessings. And there is saving grace which began in us when we became a believer and continues in various fruits from the Holy Spirit as we live and move and have our being. This grace is empowering because he can CHANGE us, our lives, our abilities to do something or make it through something. He is at work and the Holy Spirit can help us to see it. Mark said that when we get to the end of each day we should be able to look back and detect these graces throughout our day: what God is saying, what God is teaching, what God showed us about himself, what he did in our heart, how he changed something or made something new, etc.

The graces of God are everywhere.

Why did this get me? Why am I spending my free time Jason has graced me with here at Barnes and Noble writing about God’s grace? Because I am desperate for it. My faith is increased today in it. Because if God’s grace is real, then I can do what feels difficult and impossible and hard to me tomorrow and the next day and the next. Because his grace lifts me up, his grace helps me do what I cannot, his grace is empowering and strengthening. Grace is everything to me! I am overcome in my heart with gratitude for the GRACE OF GOD that exists in my life to carry me, enable me, encourage me, and make me capable of everything he has called me to do and say and be both now and every day of my life to come.

Thank you Jesus that I get to grow in the grace and knowledge of you. Please help this recognition that your graces are everywhere not just be an excitement today but make me able to see your graces now and everyday to come. Please encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to see you in everything they do and say and see, that they might be alive, like I am right this minute. Lord you are good. Your graces to us are good. Even to those who do not know you. Let your glory come. Amen – so be it.