God didn’t just give us grace to rescue us from our sins, but also to empower us to live successfully. His favor is all-inclusive, and operates on more than one level. It’s not just to enable us to go to heaven when our earthly lives are finished, but also to empower us to live successfully in this life. An awareness of how grace translates into our everyday routines helps us tap into it to discover God’s will for us on a daily basis.

God is more than enough, and He blesses us abundantly from His overflow. From His abundance we’ve received one gracious blessing after another. His grace carries real power. It’s all we need during the lowest points in our lives when we’re at our weakest; His power works best in weakness.

Most people live only to please themselves. This is self-centered; Paul advised the Corinthians that living a life pleasing to God should be our goal. Specifically, trusting in Him is what pleases Him. This requires refusing to be people-pleasers, but instead speaking not as pleasing to men, but pleasing to God, who tries our hearts.

The Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us through life and help us make the right choices. By His divine power, He gave us everything we need for living godly lives. It’s the Spirit who makes us want to live a lifestyle pleasing to the Father. God is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

The best part about grace is that we don’t have to work for it. God extends this gift to us in the full knowledge that we’ll continue to sin and fall short of our goals while still on earth. Under the law we would have died for our mistakes; the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace much more abounded. Thankfully, we’re no longer under the law, but under grace—this is great news for us.  

Prayer:

God, You gave us grace for everyday living. This is something that enhances our lives right now, without us having to wait until we get to heaven. We’re thankful for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

John 1:16, NLT

2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT

2 Corinthians 5:9, NKJV

1 Thessalonians 2:4

2 Peter 1:3, NLT

Philippians 2:13, NLT

Ephesians 2:8

Romans 5:20

Romans 6:14