Still Water Moments: We All Struggle, We All Need Grace
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Last month, we discussed the need for God’s grace for ourselves as we overcome personal struggles and/or temptations. This month we focus on the need to show grace to others. We all struggle with something; however, we deal with it in various ways. Some go straight to God with the concern; some tackle it in their own strength; some try to manage the situation by turning to a substance to help calm and/or distract them; some are overwhelmed with anxiety, etc.
Those of us in the faith are at an advantage. We know we are not alone and have the ability to go to God with the issue(s) and ask for help, peace, rest, and patience while we wait for a breakthrough. Some of us are at different points in our faith walks and respond in a myriad of ways as explained above. “Seasoned Christians” typically have experience walking with the Lord and have stronger faith and peace knowing He will perfect that which concerns them. Some Christians are babes in Christ just beginning to build trust and some have been a Christian for several years and still have difficulty trusting Him to work things out. The one thing we all have in common is we’re all Christians and should care for each other as siblings in Christ trying to walk the straight and narrow path. Therefore we should pray when we observe someone struggling as opposed to judging them and feeling like they should be further along in their walk.
Titus 2: 11-12 states, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age.” Let’s focus on the word teaches in the scripture. As a fourth-grade teacher, I need to differentiate instruction for my students as they all have different abilities and learning styles. For example, when I teach the multiplication unit, the students learn six different ways to multiply. Once they learn them, they differ in their preference of the method used to solve a problem. Furthermore, as they complete the problems, some need scrap paper, some need a multiplication chart, some need manipulatives and some need teacher assistance. Additionally, the students need to practice the strategies before they master them, some catch on quickly while others need more time to grasp the skill. I believe God is the same way with us as He teaches us to overcome our struggles. He needs to differentiate how we each overcome our struggles as we are all individuals with different personalities, understanding, abilities, etc. Some of us need more time than others to overcome certain struggles. This is another reason we should try not to judge others as we do not know all the factors that lead them to the point they are at nor do we really know where they are in their spiritual journey the way Christ does. Moreover, Christ is the only One that knows what specific strategies are best for teaching each individual. The term teaches in the scripture indicates this is an ongoing process.
Those that don’t know Christ at all are in a precarious situation. I honestly don’t know how people make it without Him. It would probably help us empathize with them if we picture ourselves trying to face the difficult situations in our lives without Christ. We probably would feel hopeless, distraught, worried, and the list goes on and on. With compassion, grace and empathy, we can lead an unsaved person to Christ and encourage a fellow Christian to stay the course in the face of adversity.
Reflection: Think of someone that you have had a hard time extending grace to. Can you commit to praying for them every day for 30 days?
