By the Grace of God

But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

God’s grace has made me who I am today, just as Paul saw his conversion from “persecutor” to “apostle to the Gentiles” to be a free and wholly underserved gift of God. I to have been set free through the salvation provided for me through the precious blood of Jesus. Sin has a way of creeping in, and God has provided a way to be freed from it. Easter is approaching and I have had Jesus on my mind and just what all He endured for me to have this freedom. Many years ago, an evangelist came to my home church and his message was titled, ‘The Price Has Been Paid.” I was a new Christian at the time, so I was just learning of this thing called forgiveness of sins and how, who and what all could be forgiven. This message was so intense in how he described what Jesus went through, from the drinking of the cup, what all was in that cup, to the way to the cross and finally on the cross. By the time he finished his message I was bawling. I couldn’t believe God would allow His Son to go through all of that for me. I knew I was a sinner in need of a Savior, but I never expected my Savior would have to pay such a price as that. As a mother I have sacrificed. As a wife I have sacrificed. As a friend I have sacrificed. I have never sacrificed like that. I remember the one area of forgiveness I was struggling most in was, forgiving myself. At that time, I had a knowing that God had forgiven me, others had forgiven me, but I was hung up on forgiving myself. I felt so bad about certain things I had done in my life, but there was a part in this teaching that night about forgiving ourselves. This was the part that changed everything for me. Ivan Tait the evangelist said, “If you cannot forgive yourself, you are saying to Jesus that He didn’t pay a big enough price for your sins.” That was all it took. I knew that moment it was time to lay it down at the feet of Jesus. Since then whenever I find myself being convicted of something, I don’t hold on to it, He paid the price for me to be who I am, and His mercy and grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). I have received that unmerited favor, I didn’t earn it, it was a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) free to me because He paid the price. Today again, I thank you Jesus; for what you have done for me, transforming me through your power and love.