THE SEASON FOR GRACE AND LOVE IS NOW

Think about the season of life you are currently in. You may define it by your business, successes, failures, or perhaps whether you would classify yourself as thriving or just trying to stay afloat.

Whatever the case, the season to know and reflect God’s grace and love should be constant.

I hope that today’s reading and reflection will give you more confidence in trusting that God’s grace will sustain you and that His love will propel you to fulfill His purpose in your life.

Are you ready to be reminded of the faithfulness of God in your season of life?

In one particular season of my life, I was an educator of high school students, a wife, and a mom of a newborn. During my transition to becoming a working mom, the Lord spoke two messages of grace and love into my life.

I am confident that these two lessons can also apply to you.

#1 His grace is always sufficient.

At the start of the school year, I had my first baby. So technically, my school year didn’t start until the 2nd six weeks of school (if you are not counting all the work in the summer I did to prepare for my extended sub #teacherlife). When I came back to school, I was exhausted from having a six-week-old baby, emotional about leaving him for the first time, and just not all “there.” One day, in particular, I remember sitting in the teachers’ bathroom, pumping milk for my newborn (if you know, you know). Tears rolled down my cheeks as I thought, “I can’t be 100% to everyone as I would like.” It was in that instance that God spoke these words over me:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

I had not read or heard these words in such a long time, and I knew it was the Holy Spirit bringing this truth to the front of my mind. I was the only one placing these high expectations on myself. Not my husband. Not the other teachers. Not my students. Not God. God chooses to use what is weak to show His magnificent power and glory to the world. Isn’t that the point anyway? I should want others to see Christ in me more than any great thing I could ever do. After all, He is SO much better. At that moment, I felt as if I could take a fresh breath of air and experience some freedom from my high expectations because my life is not about me. It’s about Jesus, and He is in control of all the cares of the world. God would still use me to make a difference and even use me more in my weakness.

Thank you, Jesus, for seeing my imperfections and using me here the most. Your grace is truly sufficient.

#2 His love will cause you to act.

One question I continuously brought to the Lord as a teacher is, “how do I love my students well?” Really this is a question I should be asking in all areas of my life. In 1 Corinthians 12-13, the apostle Paul shares about the various gifts the Holy Spirit manifests to those who have repented from their sins and chosen to follow Jesus. In chapter 13, he explains that love is the most important gift given by the Holy Spirit and that we should pursue it above all other gifts.

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way…Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 & 13:4-5

Loving like this is only possible through the Holy Spirit. As a teacher, I often encounter disrespectful talk and behavior from students. As I pursue the gift of love with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can be patient and kind, even in the most difficult of moments. I have learned that loving doesn’t mean lowering expectations or disregarding consequences, but it does mean showing grace, compassion, and forgiveness daily. I would often tell my students that while the consequences for the misbehavior are not waved, every day is a new day with me. I genuinely believe this is a crucial component of the Christian faith because I have experienced that the Lord’s mercies are new daily for me (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Being consistent with who you are will speak wonders. Through the good and bad days, I have found that my students were able to experience the Spirit in me because of my desire to seek first God’s kingdom. And when I fail, which I have, I repent to God and my students and remind myself of the lesson above: God’s grace is sufficient.

Thank you Jesus for your unfailing love for me. Help me to display that love through the help of your Spirit to the world around me. 

How will you live differently?

Now it’s your turn! Take some time and reflect on God’s sufficient grace and His supernatural love moving within you. Will you apply these same lessons to your season of life?

After all, the season of grace and love is always upon you as a follower of Christ. 

Reflect and Connect

1.) How would you describe your season of life?
2.) Where do you see God’s grace in this season?
3.) Who around you is God prompting you to love more intentionally?