Courage For Today

Grace

How God’s Grace and Mercy Guides and Protects Us in Life

Grace

Life is filled with ups and downs, challenges and triumphs, but through it all, God’s grace and mercy are there to guide and protect us. His divine love and compassion offer us comfort, guidance, and strength, helping us navigate the complexities of life. I know in my life, I have received unmerited Mercy many times, as well as His Grace when I failed.

1. Forgiveness and Redemption

God’s grace and mercy offer us forgiveness and redemption, allowing us to let go of our past mistakes and start anew. No matter how far we may have strayed or how broken we may feel, God’s grace is always available to us. Through His mercy, He offers us a fresh start and the opportunity to learn from our past, grow, and become better versions of ourselves.

2. Guidance and Direction

When we are faced with difficult decisions or uncertain paths, God’s grace and mercy provide us with guidance and direction. Through prayer and seeking His wisdom, we can tap into His divine guidance, trusting that He will lead us in the right direction. His grace illuminates our path, helping us make choices that align with His will and bring us closer to our purpose.

3. Protection and Strength

In the midst of life’s storms and challenges, God’s grace and mercy serve as our shield and source of strength. His grace protects us from harm, both physical and spiritual, and provides us with the strength to endure. When we feel weak or overwhelmed, we can lean on His mercy, knowing that He will carry us through the trials we face.

4. Comfort and Healing

During times of pain, loss, or heartache, God’s grace and mercy offer us comfort and healing. His grace provides us with the peace that surpasses all understanding, reminding us that we are not alone in our suffering. Through His mercy, He heals our wounds, both seen and unseen, and brings restoration to our brokenness.

5. Provision and Abundance

God’s grace and mercy extend beyond our spiritual needs and encompass our physical needs as well. Through His grace, He provides for us abundantly, meeting our needs and even blessing us beyond measure. His mercy reminds us that we are worthy of His provision and that He desires to bless us with abundance in all areas of our lives.

6. Transformation and Growth

God’s grace and mercy work in our lives to transform us and help us grow. His grace enables us to overcome our weaknesses and embrace our true potential. Through His mercy, He refines us, shaping us into the individuals He created us to be. As we experience His grace and mercy, we are continually transformed into His likeness.

7. Unconditional Love

Above all, God’s grace and mercy are expressions of His unconditional love for us. His grace is freely given, not based on our own merits or worthiness. His mercy is extended to us despite our flaws and shortcomings. Through His grace and mercy, we experience the depths of His love, knowing that we are fully accepted and cherished by our Heavenly Father.

God’s grace and mercy are powerful parts of God’s Character and who HE is to help guide and protect us in life. They offer us forgiveness, guidance, protection, comfort, provision, transformation, and unconditional love. As we embrace His grace and mercy, we can find solace in knowing that we are never alone and that His divine presence is always with us, leading us towards a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment.

How to Believe in God When I Don’t Attend Church?

Encouragement, Grace, Strength

Let me be straight with you right off the bat, I do believe church is important and I do believe we should attend a good, strong bible-centered church when possible. Why? Because we all need the fellowship and strength of other Christians to help us navigate through on our Christian life.  Being a Christian in today’s world is tough enough without having the support of other fellow believers.

Having said that, there are situations when attending church is not always possible.  My wife was a nurse for years before retirement and her job often required weekend work.  I have known other first responders and other professions that sometimes require weekend work.  I have also known people who physically cannot leave their home and attend church due to illness or caring for loved ones.  My mom was one such example.  I have also know others who have been tremendously hurt by people in the church and just don’t feel comfortable attending.  I have been in that boat myself and it took me years to start attending again.

If you find yourself in one of the above situations and aren’t currently attending church, always remember that your relationship with God is not confined to the walls of a church building. The church is not the building.  The church is the people. There are numerous ways you can nurture your faith, outside the physical church, until such time as you might be able to physically attend again.

Vibrant Faith Outside the Pews

Nurturing a vibrant faith outside the pews begins with embracing the idea that God is present in every aspect of your life. Look for divine connections in nature, such as the beauty of a sunrise or the tranquility of a forest. Take a moment to appreciate the simple joys that surround you, like the laughter of loved ones or the warmth of a cup of tea. By being content and grateful, you can create a spiritual peace within yourselves,

Always make sure you are engaging in personal bible reading or bible studies as well as maintaining a strong prayer life.   Doing so will keep your relationship with God as close as is possible.  Perhaps a local church has an online community, podcast, or sermon streaming events where you can participate.  When attending a physical church just isn’t possible, it doesn’t mean your relationship with God can’t be strong.  Look for opportunities when God might be leading you to call someone or write a letter or card to someone to encourage them—or sometimes be encouraged yourself.  God can still use you to minister to others even when you can’t leave your home.

Remember, wherever you are, God is with you, guiding and supporting you every step of the way.

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Messy But Happy

Grace

It is no secret that I love working around my house. Whether it be a wood-working project or an outdoor gardening project, I just enjoy the satisfaction of working with my hands and seeing the fruit of my labor. Unfortunately, I tend to get rather dirty and messy when working on these projects. Usually, my clothes are tattered and my hands are filthy. But, I’m happy. Despite the dirtiness, I am in my happy zone and loving every moment of whatever project I am working on.

One of the awesome wonders of Christ is that each of us can have a relationship with Him just as we are. I know many friends personally who feel as if they are not good enough to be a Christian. Perhaps they’ve made bad decisions in their past. Or, maybe they’ve not led the best life to date. I have friends who admittedly avoid Christianity because they don’t think they can uphold or live up to Christian standards. We don’t have to clean-up to accept Christ; instead, we accept Christ and then become a “new person.” He helps us address what needs cleaning-up in our lives and gives us the tools and strengths to do that.

The Bible says, come as you are. Just think a moment about that powerful statement. It doesn’t matter what lifestyle you’ve lived or are living. It doesn’t matter what mistakes you’ve made. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t always done “good” things in your life. It doesn’t matter who your parents are or were. It doesn’t matter if you are ashamed of the career or job you have. The only thing that matters is that you accept Christ as your savior, and believe you are truly a child of God. There is nothing you can do that can truly separate you from God’s love.

People fail us. Institutions fail us. Government fails us. Even churches sometimes fail us. But, God never does. If you feel shame or guilt for the past, don’t led that be a roadblock to your future. Don’t worry about what others may think. I promise you that God is there with open arms ready to welcome you home!

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Close But Yet So Far

Grace

My wife and I recently became the proud owners of a new dog.  We haven’t owned a dog in about 10 years, so we decided now was the right time to give it a go again.  This particular dog had a previous owner who was no longer able to keep him.  The prior owners introduced us to Remi and, I have to admit, he stole our hearts.  We first agreed to let him stay with us for a weekend to see how things went and if we thought he was a good fit long-term.  Well, that was May of last year and Remi is still with us and part of the family.

Remi likes the stability of his new home and has settled into quite the routine.  He is pretty lazy most of the day and then wants to play during the late afternoon, before dinner.  After dinner, it’s snuggle time for him.  He goes out of his way to find me and make sure he sits with me.  I don’t have to search for him.  He is looking for me.  To me, this is my favorite time of day. Mind you he is about 60 pounds and snuggles up on the couch with his head in my lap and making sure that I am touching him somewhere.  We don’t have to do anything.  We don’t have to go anywhere.  We just sit on the couch and enjoy each other’s company.  Nothing more than me adoring him and vice-versa.  It is just simple daily communication to show him that I care for him and enjoy his companionship.

This closeness and affection, with no strings attached, is exactly the relationship our Heavenly Father wants us to have with HIM.  In thinking about my own Christian Life, I can’t say that my relationship with God has always been that close.  There have been many times that our relationship was distant and almost non-existent.  It wasn’t because I didn’t believe in God or didn’t care for God.  If I’m being honest, it was because I was too busy and didn’t want to be bothered.  It seemed like a chore to have a relationship with God and not a privilege. It seemed like I always had to give up something in order to have a relationship with God.

Maybe there is a reason you aren’t reaching out.  Maybe, you are where I have been in the past continually asking yourself:  What has God really done for me?  Why does it seem like he’s forgotten me?  Well, trust me; I’ve been there.  I had to come to the realization that the mere fact I was asking those questions of God and hungering for an answer meant that God had not given up on me.  If HE had given up on me, HE wouldn’t be creating the desire in me to question.  Once I realized that, it became easier and easier to realize that God was as close as I wanted him to be.

The sad part is that God is yearning for a relationship with us.  All it takes is some quiet time to pray and read and meditate on how God has worked in your life and the realization that God is there for you.  Just some time each day to stop and be thankful for all that He has done.  I can promise you that if you reach out to God, He will be there waiting with open arms.

As Remi and I are sitting here in our warm home on our comfortable couch on a cold winter night, I am reminded of an even greater relationship I have with the Heavenly Father. A relationship of love and support.  Maybe I can’t physically touch God, but I certainly can feel His touch in every aspect of my life.  I don’t ever want that feeling to go way.

How is your relationship with God?  HE is just around the corner waiting for you to come home.

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The Door is Never Locked

Grace

As a child, our trips to my grandmother’s house were always exciting.  She lived in a small town that was about two hours drive-time from where my family lived so we weren’t able to visit very often.  I think the fact that we weren’t able to visit as often as I had wanted added to the mystery of each visit.  My brothers and I always looked forward with anticipation when we knew we were driving to see her.

Her home was small and there wasn’t really much to do there when we arrived.  But, there was just something wonderful about the atmosphere and the surroundings.  When we visited, my grandmother always welcomed us with open arms.  She always made us feel like we were the most important people in her life at that time and that just had a way of making us feel special.  Quite honestly, I think she was probably as excited to see us as we were in seeing her but I just knew that we couldn’t wait for that long drive to be over and we finally arrived at her house.

When we arrived, our routine was always the same.  We parked the car on her small dirt driveway.  We walked up to the screened-in front porch, which was never locked, and entered the main door to the house which, likewise, was never locked.  We would meander through the bedroom and the family room and head toward the kitchen where she would always be cooking and preparing something for our lunch or dinner that day.  It didn’t matter if we drove up early in the morning or late at night, after dark; the doors to the house would always be open and she would always be preparing something for us.

Those of us that have a close relationship with Christ know that feeling.  I know in my own life, before I had accepted Christ, I had reached a very low point in my life.  I didn’t feel like anyone cared.  I felt depressed.  I really didn’t feel like I had a purpose.  That all changed when I reached out to Christ.  I soon realized that His door had always been open for me.  His door was never locked; I just refused to try and open it or (worse) went to the wrong door.  Once I opened His door, and allowed Christ in my heart, His Heavenly Feast was there waiting for me.  The day that I accepted Christ was as real as one of my visits to my grandmother’s house.  Christ was as excited to welcome me as I was to welcome Him and He was already preparing great things for me.

How is your relationship with God today?  Remember that Christ’s door is never locked.  All you have to do is enter.

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Foods at Your Table

Grace

Those that know me or hang around me for very long figure out very quickly that I am a picky eater.  I am not sure why I am that way, but it’s just the way I’ve always been.  Sometimes it is the textures of foods I don’t care for. Many times its the very taste of items that I don’t like.  There are many foods I will not eat because of the way they are processed or grown.  My pickiness covers all food groups from vegetables to meats to desserts.  I have to admit it drives my wife crazy because she is just the opposite and will eat almost anything.

Of course, I realize that what I eat is ultimately my choice. Whether I eat healthy food or eat junk food; whether I remain picky or broaden my food horizons, the foods at my table are there by my choice.  While others may present foods to me or even insist that I eat them, my table is characterized by the foods I like and choose to eat.

As you go through life, you’re going to have to make decisions on what to allow and what not to allow in your life. Many times, you will be surrounded by negative people and negative thoughts.  We live in a terribly negative and critical world and sometimes you are going to be on the receiving end of the criticism.  In thinking back on my own life, I have received my share of critique.  In many cases, I let the criticism just burn me to the core.  I knew that I shouldn’t, but I took my eyes off of God and, instead, focused on the criticism. I was miserable and I let the opinions of others control me.  Over time, I learned that I was in control of what I allowed into my thought patterns. In short, I became “picky” about what I allowed in my life—just like the food I allowed at my table—focusing on the good of God and not the negative of others.  In fact, I found the three “foods” that I can never allow at my “table:”

  • “You’re Never Going to Make it Through This:” How many times have we all heard this in our lives?  Too many to count, I would imagine.  I could tell you story after story of dead-ends in my life and how it didn’t appear I could make it any more.  In every case, when I was at my end, God took control and saw me through.  Don’t listen to those who tell you that you’re never going to make it.  Instead, realize you are exactly in God’s hands and HE will work HIS perfect plan through you.
  • “You’re Not Good Enough:” As a teenager and young adult, I always doubted myself and second guessed everything I did.  I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence and I was often jealous of the talents and abilities of others.  After a lot of heartache, God finally showed me that I am uniquely created in God’s image.  I stopped comparing myself to others and began focusing on my God-given talents and abilities.  Instead of listening to others tell you you’re not good enough, remind yourself that you are special in God’s eyes.  God gave you just enough for what you need to accomplish at this time in your life.  God will continue to mature you and grow you based on what you need at a particular time in life.
  • “Everyone is Against You:” If you haven’t discovered this already, eventually you’ll find that many people in life simply don’t want you to succeed.  I have found that jealousy is the primary reason.  After all, it’s much easier to make yourself look better by knocking others down.  Maybe its the promotion you didn’t receive because someone else worked against you.  Maybe its lack of support from friends or family and you are on an island by yourself.  Whatever the reason or whatever the cause, never forget that while some in the world may be against you, God never is and is always in your corner.

As you are setting your table in life, avoid these three “foods” and thank the Lord for providing you with everything you need for this day and for your circumstances.

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