This post is all about grace, what is the meaning of grace, the wondrous grace of God, and how God sees you versus how you see yourself.
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Grace Abounds Wellness’s whole mission is to guide you to the freedom you so desire. By offering a safe and life-transforming alternative to diet culture — a Grace-first approach to wellness and fitness.
You are going to learn:
- What is the meaning of grace, and how does grace relate to the Bible?
- What is the difference between how God sees us and how we see ourselves?
- Letting go of the need to be perfect
- Grace Abounds bible verse and what it means
If you’re struggling to understand grace or if you’ve never heard of it before, this article is for you. Once you read this post will know the very essential yet profound lessons about what the grace of God is — you will be armed with the truth — find freedom — and know in your heart that you are whole in Christ Jesus!
There is a bonus for you at the end of this post! Read all the way through 🤗
“Learn the unforced rhythms of grace…”
Matthew 11:28 MSG
What is the meaning of grace?
If you’re anything like me, you love a good definition… So, let’s start off by defining grace.
- Grace is a core principle of Christianity, and it is crucial to understanding God’s love for us.
- The biblical term “grace” describes God’s undeserved, unworked love and favor for humankind.
- Grace is also expressed as the overwhelming kindness of God. Jesus was the embodiment of grace – God’s gift to us.
These definitions are quite short, but WOW, don’t they ooze hope, comfort, and relief…
Ok, so you may be asking yourself — “I love this, but what does it really mean?”
Stay with me 😉 Let’s go a little deeper.
What does God say about grace in the Bible?
In the Christian faith, grace is everything! It’s the very heart of the gospel message. And it’s often misunderstood. We tend to see grace as a free pass to do whatever we want, but that’s not what grace is about.
Grace is about getting to know God and understanding how much He loves you – even when you don’t deserve it. It’s about recognizing your need for a Savior and coming to Him for forgiveness and redemption.
Because if you have believed and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He loves you — PERIOD.
It’s not a matter of “works”…
There is nothing you can do for Him to love you more. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you less.
Grace of God: What is the difference between how God sees us and how we see ourselves?
Now that you know what grace is, let’s be real…
Do you sincerely treat yourself as a daughter of the most High King?
I don’t know about you, but I am my worst critic — something tells me you’re saying “me too”…
Would you agree that reproaching, self-sabotaging, condemning, guilt, shame, low self-worth… all stem from the same lie?
Unfortunately, you have mastered the art of putting yourself down…
And that is no way to treat a princess — bought a the highest price!
It is said that value is nothing more than the price tag on the item.
Well, my beautiful sister, your value is immeasurable, insurmountable, you were bought at the most expensive rate ever! Jesus paid the price when He laid down His life for you…
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis 1:27
- Your Heavenly Father doesn’t look at you the same way you look at yourself…
- Your value begins with the fact that you are made by the hand of the Creator in His very image.
- Your value is not determined by your size, weight, appearance, what you have, how much you know, or what you do/don’t do.
- You are beautiful and perfect in His eyes!
Grace in the Bible means — letting go of the need to be perfect…
Romans 5:20 says, “…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”.
I don’t know about you, but this verse “…but where sin increased, grace abounds all the more” — simply blows👏my👏mind! God is SO good!!!
But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, means that no matter how short you fall — God’s grace is more powerful, aggressive, lavish, and endless. It doesn’t matter the degree of your sin — God’s grace is more powerful, aggressive, lavish, and endless!
Grace will ALWAYS outmeasure and win over sin!
Can you take a moment to say THANK YOU JESUS, and give Him praise for His goodness, mercy, love, and faithfulness…
I digress, lol!
My dear friend, the truth is that grace is often misunderstood.
We see it as unmerited favor, and while that’s partially true, it’s not the whole story.
He isn’t waiting to condemn us when we mess up — instead, He’s full of compassion and slow to anger.
The second part of understanding grace is recognizing our own brokenness.
We are sinners in need of a Savior, and that’s where grace comes in. Because Jesus died on the cross, we can be forgiven and have an intimate relationship with God the Father.
All we need to do is believe and accept that Jesus is who He says He is — died on the cross for your sins — repent and ask for His forgiveness.
God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense…
Memorize — screenshot — or write this mind-renewing — life-transforming acronym (below) on a post-it and stick it wherever you spend the most time!
Because when the enemy tries to overwhelm your mind with negative thoughts, you are going to remind yourself that you have all of God’s riches at Christ’s expense.
You don’t have to “work for it,” and at that moment — when you truly believe this in your heart — then you will finally let go of the need to be perfect…
But there is good news! In Christ, you are already perfect. You are already accepted and loved by God, just as you are. There is no need try to earn His love or approval. So, breathe at ease, rest in His grace and find freedom in His never-ending love for you.
So, beautiful princess…
If there is one take-away — well, two take-aways — they would be:
- We are sinners in need of a Savior, and that’s where grace comes in. Because Jesus died on the cross, we can be forgiven and have a relationship with God the Father.
- Grace gives you the power to live by the Holy Spirit. It enables you to do what you never thought you could — to be gracious and kind to yourself…
Before I go, I have something to say — with all of the love I have for you in Christ Jesus — I urge you…
If you struggle with self-worth — because of how you look — what you have or do not have — ask Him for grace…
Find your identity in Christ – know who you are and Whose you are. “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matthew 11:29 MSG
In 1 Corinthians 7:23 the Amplified version of the Bible says,
“You were bought with a price [a precious price paid by Christ]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ].“
If the Holy Spirit is nudging you — saying you’re indulging a little too much and neglecting your body…
Ask Him to draw you to Himself…
- The Holy Spirit is able to reveal your true emotions
- Once you know the root of your emotions — you can go to the throne of grace — surrender it all — and experience comfort in the Lover of your soul.
Ahhh, God is truly amazing…
He is able to fulfill all of the voids — you can fulfill all of your needs and desires in Him…
Here’s a little bonus…
How do you find comfort and strength in God?
When I’ve had a weak moment (or two or three…) and indulge, I tend to be super hard on myself, just like you…
But then, the Holy Spirit reminds us: if Christ is gracious to forgive us, that should be sufficient for me (and you). So, do yourself a favor and forgive yourself — ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your emotions — however painful they may be.
Because His goodness is greater.
His comfort and love wildly surpass the comfort found at the bottom of a pint of ice cream...
“… My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
When you dwell on your imperfections, you are saying that you have the power and are in control.
The truth is…
- You can’t rely on your power to do anything.
- You are weak and vulnerable, but God…
- You stand behind a mighty God, and it is He who equips you.
It is only through the grace of God that you are able. If you can accomplish anything, it is only because the power of Christ is made perfect in you!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
“Always remember that the grace of God is a gift. You can’t earn it, but you get a lot of it. It’s free and abundant. When you go to God in heartfelt prayer, He will always give you what you need. Forget about worrying about getting what you deserve. Grace is getting much more than you deserve.” – BibleStudyTools.com
I highly recommend this book: Live In Grace – Walk in Love. It provides you with a year’s worth of inspiring, unexpected, humble teaching on grace and love that will prepare you for the day ahead.
My prayer for you is that my decades of experience of — an all-consuming battle with the scale — self-esteem struggles — and how God has radically worked on my heart will bless and inspire you!
You’re Invited…
You have an open invitation to binge on all of my posts — written with Holy Spirit-inspired words and filled with love just for you — my beautiful friend.
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