Nov 9, 2021
God’s Grace Enables Us
9th NOVEMBER, 2021
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. [1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV]
Paul was a lot of things. His missionary work journeys throughout Europe and Asia, his contributions to the New Testament, and the many signs and wonders God worked through him set him apart in church history as a profitable servant of the Kingdom.
But for all that Paul was, and did, he ascribes his success to the Grace of God. Paul is telling us that without God’s Grace, none of his many successes would have been possible. The Grace of God is the only thing that can take a Pharisee and persecutor like Paul and transform him into the champion of the faith that he is today.
The good news is that the same grace that transformed Paul is the same grace at work in you if you have repented from sin and placed your faith in Jesus.
You see, the Christian walk is not difficult… it is possible. On our own, we can do nothing [John 15:5c]. Knowing this, God freely gives His grace to His children, and it is this grace that enables us to live lives that please God; lives of greater impact than we could live on our own.
There is one more thing to notice about grace; it is not a “magic” trick. Grace is an enabler and a multiplier of effort.
Paul says, “No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” Grace enables us to put in the work, and then multiplies the results of our efforts. We cannot reap where we have not sown, but grace enables us to put in the work necessary to see the results we want. Grace is what empowers us to perform, and grace is what strengthens us, so we do not give up.
Grace is God at work in us. If we ever become anything worth celebrating, it is by God’s grace.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the sufficient grace that upholds me. May Your grace manifest even more so in my life every day, so I may continue to walk in Your will in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading: Ephesians 3:7–8
Bible In One Year: Revelations [14–17]
