By Anissa Rowe
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” - Romans 6:1-2
Grace is akin to the extra time an individual gets to live after the doctors have shortened it in their estimation; grace is the brief moment the sun pushes the storm clouds aside on a gloomy day.
Grace is quite possibly the most beautiful but also the most abused gift that Jesus gave to us.
As if it is not enough that this innocent man was beaten and murdered inhumanely for all of humanity – those already deceased, still living and still to come – by exchanging His blood for this grace, we often only use it as an excuse to do the opposite of God’s expectations.
We know as humans, no matter how “good” we try to be as Christians, we can never work hard enough to please God by our own efforts.
However, that does not mean we should not give it our best.
In other words, we should think of grace as more of a set time or an opportunity for us to make our hearts right with God, not a chance to take advantage of it and live as crazy and on the edge as we can.
Picture it like an inmate on death row suddenly given a second chance at life.
If he is truly transformed, he does not go out and repeat the mistakes that brought him to prison in the first place, but instead is constantly grateful for his redemption.
We will make mistakes; God knows that more than we do.
Still, let us not purposely push our limit and just expect God to forgive us—let us not abuse the grace He died for by casually “doing our own thing.”
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…” - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
Using God’s grace the right way entails bringing out His best in us by yielding our spirits and letting Him mold us into His likeness.
Many times our minds might make the justification that it is just plain too hard to live the Christian life.
But for one, God never asked us if we wanted the easy way out—He never did promise it would be simple, but He has said His burden is light (Matthew 11:30, KJV) and well worth it when compared to the joy that will come in the end:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…” - 1 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV)
Remember: Jesus has invited us to a higher calling.
Let us begin to reflect His change in us. Let us start thinking, looking, and acting like Christians; but only by His grace and strength in us.
Do not take the Lord’s grace for granted by continuing with the same attitudes, desires and carnal actions you first came to Him with. Instead, let that grace transform you bit by bit every day.
