Grace is an amazing concept. By definition, it means, the divine influence in the heart of man (humanity) with its reflection in the life of man (humanity). I have come to understand grace as God’s ability flowing through my life, enabling me to do what I could otherwise not do.
That being said, how often has grace been in operation in your life? Think about it, how many times have you been in a tight spot, or rough place, and somehow get to the other side? Have you thought that your resolve got you through? Is it possible that God’s grace was present helping you through the situation without your knowledge?
I believe the answer is yes.
God is a spirit, therefore eternal. He created humanity to resemble himself, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He devised, implemented, and successfully completed a very complex plan to redeem fallen humanity from the clutches of the devil. This means that he paid a very high price for a very valued possession—you!
Since humanity is created to be like God, he and she have the ability to choose, right or wrong, good or bad, righteous or evil. When these decisions are made as a matter of the heart—a willful intent—God’s hand is pulled back because of humanity’s ability to choose.
When, on the other hand, any of the above decisions are made with something other than the heart (out of anger, or depression, or hopelessness, etc.) God sees the heart and continues to allow grace to touch your life. Do not misunderstand that a cause-and-effect principle is always in place in every element of life. This means that there will be a result of your action—good or bad—but God is looking deeper than cause and effect, he is looking into the heart, the will, and intent.
This being the case, grace is present far more often than we realize. Does this mean that God possesses you, thus allowing you to get through the challenge? Of course not. God has not, does not, and will not violate the will of humanity. This is heaven’s great conundrum. God does not want a single human to die without knowing him, but he does not override willful mankind’s (male/female) heart-made decisions. Otherwise, that individual could rightfully say that God forced them to be with him.
Think of it this way. When a parent is helping a child learn to ride a bicycle, they will run alongside the child to steady the bike. At some point, the parent lets go but continue to run alongside. Does the child think the parent is possessing them enabling them to ride the bike? Of course not. The child is so focused on the mechanics of bike riding that he or she usually is no longer aware that mom or dad is even there. This is a picture of grace; the parents’ ability is present while the child focuses on learning the task. The end result is a success, and so it is with God’s grace.
A close personal relationship with the godhead draws you into his presence. This relationship sensitizes your heart to the presence of the Father. There may be times when you sense the presence of the Son, or of the Holy Spirit, please do not focus on that; simply know that God is present. I have been able to sense such a distinction—sometimes, but that is simply not the focus of a close personal relationship with the godhead.
Grace is a powerful component of God’s ability in human life. A close personal relationship with the godhead makes you more aware of his grace in your life. This is also like the child learning to ride the bike. At first, he or she may be nervous, even scared, but the comfort of knowing that mom or dad is right there, allows them to try. In like manner knowing that God is there is a comfort allowing you to give it a go.
Enjoy the journey this week. Life is about to get a lot scarier, but God’s amazing graced will be there.