By the Grace of God
"In the middle of your impossible is where God does His finest work."
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NIV)
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Reflection
God can use anybody to show His power, to prove His majesty, and to fulfill His divine plan. With your past failures, current problems, list of what you can't do or don't have, limitations, insecurities, and fears … all of these things are tools for amazing works in the hands of God. You haven't dismissed yourself from what God wants to do; you've given Him something to work with. In the middle of your impossible is where God does His finest work. This is where you KNOW it's by the grace of God.
Your life has been primed for His work. Could this be why you've gone through all you've gone through? Could this be the purpose behind the pain and the message of the mess? Because God wants to use you? God wants to give you a future filled with hope, a destiny designed by your Creator, and a story only you can tell.
We've seen it throughout scripture; God can (and will) use anybody. God chooses the one with the past, who has gone down the wrong path for years. Your history does not dismiss you from God's plan for you. Your insecurity about what may be wrong with you does not disqualify you from God's mighty power working in you.
Scripture is filled with many messed up people with past mistakes and histories of guilt and shame, yet they were the ones God chose. Their names are listed in scripture to remind us today that God can work through any shame, criticism, unfortunate situation, or untimely circumstance. Scripture records their stories, so today you can see that who you were does not limit how God will use you now.
The Apostle Paul reminds us of his past. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (verse 9).
The woman at the well, a social outcast living in shame, had a holy encounter with the Lord, and her testimony convinces an entire town... by the grace of God.
Rahab, the prostitute, a woman whose profession was sinful, was hand selected by God to be part of the family of Jesus, all by the grace of God.
Where you are weak, disappointed, stuck, without options, overwhelmed, counted out, and cornered in, this is precisely where God's power is made so strong. This is where GRACE does its finest work!
Action Steps
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your grace that You pour over me daily. On the days I feel undeserving, unequipped to answer Your call, and unworthy, I have hope in You. My life is proof of Your grace, my future is covered in Your grace, and impossible things are being made possible because of You. Divine alignments are being ordered and miraculous moments are being set in motion because of Your grace and love. I am forever grateful. I pray this in Your mighty Name. Amen.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Reflection
God can use anybody to show His power, to prove His majesty, and to fulfill His divine plan. With your past failures, current problems, list of what you can't do or don't have, limitations, insecurities, and fears … all of these things are tools for amazing works in the hands of God. You haven't dismissed yourself from what God wants to do; you've given Him something to work with. In the middle of your impossible is where God does His finest work. This is where you KNOW it's by the grace of God.
Your life has been primed for His work. Could this be why you've gone through all you've gone through? Could this be the purpose behind the pain and the message of the mess? Because God wants to use you? God wants to give you a future filled with hope, a destiny designed by your Creator, and a story only you can tell.
We've seen it throughout scripture; God can (and will) use anybody. God chooses the one with the past, who has gone down the wrong path for years. Your history does not dismiss you from God's plan for you. Your insecurity about what may be wrong with you does not disqualify you from God's mighty power working in you.
Scripture is filled with many messed up people with past mistakes and histories of guilt and shame, yet they were the ones God chose. Their names are listed in scripture to remind us today that God can work through any shame, criticism, unfortunate situation, or untimely circumstance. Scripture records their stories, so today you can see that who you were does not limit how God will use you now.
The Apostle Paul reminds us of his past. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (verse 9).
The woman at the well, a social outcast living in shame, had a holy encounter with the Lord, and her testimony convinces an entire town... by the grace of God.
Rahab, the prostitute, a woman whose profession was sinful, was hand selected by God to be part of the family of Jesus, all by the grace of God.
Where you are weak, disappointed, stuck, without options, overwhelmed, counted out, and cornered in, this is precisely where God's power is made so strong. This is where GRACE does its finest work!
Action Steps
- Can you see where God’s GRACE could be the only explanation for some things in your life?
- How is your life proof of God’s grace?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your grace that You pour over me daily. On the days I feel undeserving, unequipped to answer Your call, and unworthy, I have hope in You. My life is proof of Your grace, my future is covered in Your grace, and impossible things are being made possible because of You. Divine alignments are being ordered and miraculous moments are being set in motion because of Your grace and love. I am forever grateful. I pray this in Your mighty Name. Amen.
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