S4 EP3 | Grace is a beautiful gift. But are you using it as an excuse to avoid change?

Sep 26

Grace is such a beautiful gift. It gives us what we don’t deserve and covers a multitude of sins. But - as Carla shares from personal experience - grace can sometimes be used as an excuse to avoid the hard work of change through discipline.

Be challenged and encouraged in this episode today. And remember - God is for you!

connect with carla on ig

Hopes for the Challenge of Change

Carla sets up her hope for listeners as she challenges them. Her heart is to see you:

Grow in your faith
Grow deeper in the word
Live out your calling and purpose
Thrive in your valley seasons because you are rooted in Christ

What is Grace?

Grace is the unmerited love and favor of God towards us - remember the picture of Jesus on the cross to reconcile us to Him. Grace covers us. We cannot earn it or strive for it - it is a free gift.

We, as Christians, need the grace of God every day. We also need to operate with grace and compassion towards ourselves, similarly to forgiveness.

Grace as an excuse

Carla references her journey with alcohol, and how she would fall back on “grace” to avoid the hard work of change.

Change is hard.

Grace is meant to cover us when we earnestly seek to do God’s best and we miss the mark. It is not intended to be a crutch so we can avoid transformation.

The work of transformation is done in partnership with the Holy Spirit - God leaves our will intact, and it takes our will, hand in hand with His grace, to change us.

Misused grace leads to complacency. Living in complacency is not walking in alignment with God.

True Grace comes with an understanding of the weight of our sin.

Taking Behaviors Captive

Just like taking our thoughts captive, we need to practice taking life captive and submit it to the will of God.

The pain of discipline produces the fruit of freedom.

Jesus did not avoid the pain of discipline, and the fruit was freedom and grace for humanity. There’s kingdom impact in a true understanding of grace. Grace is a good gift, and we need to fiercely protect it from the enemy. Don’t let Satan rob you of the fruit of righteousness and freedom and God’s future hope and purpose for you.