Grace Unending

Resentment tortures your thoughts and constrains your emotions. Forgiveness renews your mind and frees your heart.

Relationships can be complicated, but grace isn’t. At least it’s not supposed to be. It seems many think of grace as a tank of religious tolerance. The more they’re offended, the faster it’s drained. Holding on to bitterness day after day is like revving the engine on a 1973 Lincoln Continental.

Grace isn’t a finite resource. Grace is your relationship with Jesus. It’s the unceasing healing, peace, strength, wisdom, joy, faith, hope, and love you experience in his presence. Grace is the overflow of who he is for you, and who you are in him.

Grace doesn’t ignore your pain or excuse someone’s abuse. But its infinite power denies them a place of authority.

Take a deep breath. Relax your physical shoulders, and let the burdens God never gave you fall off your spiritual ones. Thank him for one good thing in your life. And another. And another. Thank him for his love for you.

You’ve been through difficult times and damaging relationships, but they don’t get to define or control you. Every moment spent in God’s grace is draining power from them and strengthening you.

“The angel said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to you: The mission ahead of you can’t be achieved by physical strength, earthly wealth, or political power. But it will be accomplished by my Spirit.

What looks like a mountain right now will become a plain right before your eyes. All I’ve called you to will be wondrously completed with declarations of “Grace, grace!”’” (Zechariah 4:6-7, paraphrase).