If your life was placed on a chart or graph, there would be peaks and valleys with plateaus somewhere in between. High points mark periods of success and victories within life. The low areas represent failures where doubt and disappointment often attack your soul. Unfortunately, human nature causes many to assign blame for their valleys rather than finding fault from within.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8.
Since salaries and wages are normally based upon the services or work provided, its easy to say, “look what I did.” Yet, the apostle Paul reminds individuals that salvation is not based upon human efforts. Rather, God’s grace opens the door to eternity, providing access to the undeserving like me. Sure, I can put on a good face, pretending to be a godly Christian. Nonetheless, I find myself going through the motions way too often, lukewarm and faking holiness.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5:8.
During my recent Daniel Fast, conviction of this fact has consumed me. Despite my flaws, I am thankful for the passage above. Jesus died for imperfect people like me, a demonstration of God’s agape love. May those of you who reach a similar low point embrace biblical promises by accepting God’s free gift by faith. Don’t pretend to have things all together. Rather, confess your sins and pray for healing so that reconciliation will begin.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 