“Creating a space for grace grows a heart of trust—use your prayers to make space for grace!”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 1, 2022
And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 1 Corinthians 9:14-15
I watch with amazement mature followers of Jesus who do not have to be right, but instead extend grace to those they love. In relationships, they make space for grace. Grace when a friend disagrees with them. Grace when a stranger misunderstands them. Grace when a spouse is exhausted, anxious and not the best version of themselves. Grace given by God to give to those who need God’s grace. Grace extended beautifully provides a safe environment for the recipient to invite the gracious one into her circle of trust. Creating a space for grace grows a heart of trust.
What is grace? Not only is grace the gift of undeserved salvation from belief in Jesus Christ, the grace of God is also ongoing. The graces of God are an unending fountain of love and mercy flowing into the hearts of Jesus followers who faithfully abide in His ever-present love. God’s grace causes the community of Christ followers to take notice and praise God for His gift of grace radiating from the life of His beloved ones, birthed by and sustained by their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! Paul, whose intimacy with God overflowed with His grace, celebrates that the Lord’s surpassing grace is a gift other believers recognize and rejoice in with thankful prayers.
“God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJV).
Is tapping into the abundant grace of God your lifestyle? When your heart is dinged is your default response laced with grace? Instead of being defensive or taking someone’s hard words personally, deescalate the conversation with a softened response in place of a snippy reaction. Grace gazes into the eyes of another and looks beyond the present tension to the past pain. Love helps to stand down another’s unhealthy emotions of blame and anger and leads him look up to the Lord for help and to see you as an empathetic listener. Space for grace aids relational repair.
Similar to the grace you received when you trusted Jesus for your salvation, so is your ongoing need to receive the gift of God’s graces to mature you in love and good deeds. Keep trusting God to give you the necessary grace in your time of need. And have you noticed in life that your time of need for the Lord is never ending? Oswald Chambers clearly articulates how to access grace, “We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, “I will endure this until I can get away and pray.” Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.” Your prayers make space for grace!
“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace” (Psalm 86:6, ESV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray for your ongoing infusion of grace in my life, so I can be a safe space of grace for those who need healing, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Who does the Lord want you to extend grace to so you can become relationally unstuck?
Related Reading
Psalm 45:2; Zechariah 12:10; Colossians 1:6, 4:6; Hebrews 4:16
Worship Resource
Tauren Wells & CeCe Winans: Until Grace
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
