A Prayer to Notice God’s Abundant Grace in Everyday Life
By Kristine Brown
“From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” (John 1:16 NLT)
A few weeks ago, I attended a women’s conference at a friend’s church. It had been a while since I’d enjoyed some special time just for girl friends, to hear an inspiring message and fellowship with other women of faith. Life happens, and schedules get busy. I’d just returned home from an out-of-town trip the night before and wasn’t sure I had the energy to make it to the early morning session, but I was determined to go anyway. I needed to pause, step away, and spend time in God’s presence.
The worship team began playing a familiar song as these words displayed on the screen, “I know it's not much, but I've nothing else…” and as I raised my hands toward God, the tears poured out. The lyrics spoke to a deeply hurting place inside me. I felt like I had given all I could. I had nothing for God except the meager offering of hands raised in worship.
In that moment, I sensed God with me in a powerful way. He knew I had recently endured tragic circumstances. He also knew of my compulsion to stay busy in order to avoid the pain. My gracious God gently reminded me, “I’m still here,” while I allowed him to refill my empty places. Even with my shortcomings, his grace was sufficient. This verse came back to me as a soothing balm for my weary heart, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
I’m thankful God reminded me of his abundant grace, and I realized how much I long to notice God’s grace more in my everyday life. Grace is one of the most beautiful gifts that came through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, it’s often misunderstood and difficult to explain. Before we can notice God’s abundant grace in our daily lives, we must first understand what it is.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) We are saved by grace, but God also shows us “the incomparable riches of his grace” in other ways. (Ephesians 2:7)
“Grace” can be defined as God’s free and unmerited favor. The Wiersbe Study Bible puts it this way, “Grace is God’s favor and kindness bestowed on those who do not deserve it and cannot earn it.” God’s grace flows into every aspect of our lives, so why is it so hard for us to see?
Today’s verse, John 1:16, proclaims the uplifting truth about God’s abundant grace, “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” The NIV puts it this way, “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.”
The Greek word for “grace” used in this verse is charis, meaning “the state of kindness and favor toward someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object.” God showers his grace on his children again and again. We can trust that everything God does is for our benefit, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. As we grow in our understanding of grace, we realize that even in the most challenging trials of life, God offers glimpses of his goodness for us to discover. These grace-filled moments remind us to rely on our Heavenly Father who is always faithful.
Has it been a while since you noticed God’s abundant grace in your everyday life? Are you struggling to see his blessings in the midst of your trial? Let’s reconnect with God right now as we take a few moments to experience his grace being poured out.
Let’s pray:
Dear God,
Thank you for your abundant grace in my life. I don’t deserve it, but you freely give it anyway. Forgive me for getting so busy that I forget to stop and notice your grace. Help me remember to spend time with you, to connect with your Holy Spirit, and to praise you for grace upon grace. Father, when I’m enduring the most difficult seasons of life, it’s hard to notice your grace, yet I know it’s there. Your Word assures me that your grace is sufficient for me in my weakness. Thank you for reminding me that I have received one gracious blessing after another. Thank you for opening my eyes and helping me see and appreciate those blessings. You are a good and gracious God. I am grateful for your abundant grace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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