An Endless Grace

In May of 2025, I sat on a dock overlooking Table Rock Lake. The waters were clear as glass—gently flowing with subtle ripples from the wind. Across the way, I could see lake houses, boats in their slips, and lush, green trees at the peak of spring. It was 74º, with the sun's rays radiating a warmth that soothed my soul.

I remember sitting in silence in that moment, breathing in the breath of God and reminiscing on the beauty of His Creation. At the center of my being, I felt a peace unlike anything else.

This is the feeling I sense when I remember the Grace of God. Maybe you're on a journey where you have good intentions, but continue to mess up despite your efforts. You tell yourself, "I want to live a life more for the Lord and get rid of the things that separate me from Him." Yet as situations come up, you find yourself slipping back into the habits that you promised yourself you would flee from.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

Paul's words remind us of 2 things:

1. We will have weaknesses.

Admittedly, one of my biggest weaknesses is Starbucks. If you asked me, "Do you want to go get coffee?", my answer is 9/10 times a resounding, "YES!" Is it good for my body? Probably not. Do I really need to spend $6 on a coffee? Nope. Do I enjoy it anyway? YEP! There is something about a Starbucks iced coffee that makes my heart happy.

On a more serious note, we all face weaknesses that take us down an undesired path. Maybe this is the desire to please others. You find yourself overcommitting to plans because you do not want to let someone down. You stay quiet when you know someone is gossiping because you do not want to deal with confrontation. You hang out with the wrong crowd because you are afraid of having no friends, even though you realize the path they have chosen is far from where you want to be.

Maybe your weakness is an addiction. You know this one thing is bad for you, yet it brings relief when you feel stressed. You think to yourself, "I am doing well in other areas of my life—this one thing cannot make that big of a difference."

Maybe your weakness is doomscrolling on social media. You pull up Instagram Reels or TikTok and think to yourself, "Ah, it's time to relax." An hour later, you find yourself in a rabbit hole of videos that are momentarily entertaining, but cause you to lack quality sleep and rest.

Whatever your weakness is, we must recognize that it is an inevitable part of humanity. No matter where you go, you will face some sort of weakness that you must navigate.

Yet we can hold onto the hope that:

2. God's power is made perfect in weakness.

That's right—His power is made perfect in our weaknesses.

As I reflected on 2025, this verse resounded in my heart like never before. The hopeful Truth for you and me is that God's grace is sufficient for any weakness that we face. What does that mean for us?

Our identity is no longer held by any failure; it's held in who He says we are.

I take a moment to ask you this: Where have you held your identity? In your weaknesses? Or in who He says you are, despite your failures? This is the game-changer that lifted the pressure of perfection from my heart. For years, I spent time trying to please everyone and meet the world's standards. I found myself discouraged and defeated every time I messed up. If this is where you find yourself today, take hold of this Truth: You are chosen, holy, and dearly loved. You are called according to His purpose. In Christ, there is nothing wasted. Any mistake or failure, He can turn into a beautiful fruit that you could have never imagined.

The blood of Jesus covers our inequities. You are not defined by your failures. You are here for a reason and on a mission.

The grace of God is an endless gift that we get to take hold of. No matter what you found yourself doing last week, yesterday, or even earlier today, it is not too late to return to the One who holds your heart. He is ready to begin a healing work in your life. Like a beautiful river that flows in the springtime, so is His grace that washes over us amid our imperfections.

I say this with love:

Come back home to Jesus. His arms are wide open, meeting you with grace and mercy. In addition to that, He has a perfect plan for your life. This plan doesn't mean you won't face opposition and storms in life, but it does mean that you can take hold of the Life that is truly Life. It means you have a Hope to hold on to in the middle of a mystery. It means you have a peace that can wash over you while you're in a raging storm that seems to never end.

Take hold of His grace today. Embrace your imperfections and surrender them to the Lord to do a changing work within you.

PRAYER

God, thank you for your endless grace. It's because of you that I have this breath in my lungs today. I recognize that you have good plans for my life; to prosper and not to harm me. In this moment, I take a deep breath and accept the grace that you offer me. I know I need You. I invite you to change my heart and my mind—to show me where my identity truly is. I want to live today, tomorrow, and the future for YOU. Help me to have the strength to stay on the path You have planned for me. I love you, and I'm thankful for you.

Amen.