Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Chicken Soup for the Soul cocreators Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen with Chris Karcher
ABC's Dr. Timothy Johnson,
Finding God in the Questions, and Chris
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Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator, and Chris Karcher
Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Spiritual Journey Article.
What Is Grace?
Grace is all of the blessings we receive because of God’s unconditional love. Grace is the unmerited favor, undeserved mercy, and loving-kindness of God. It is the presence of God, actively working in our lives. Joyce Meyer defined grace on her television show, Life in the Word, as “God’s power coming to you free of charge to do in your life, with ease, what you could never do with any amount of struggle.”
Grace is always present and always free. We cannot earn it and do not deserve it. It is a gift that is given in spite of our imperfections.
Our world is blanketed in grace. All of our blessings and everything good in life flows from God’s grace. We could not live without grace; we are totally dependent on it. The air we breathe, the food we eat, family and friends, our talents, and tulips in springtime are all gifts of God’s grace. The power of God working through us to help us change and face a challenge is grace. Spontaneous healings, divine incidents, and deliverance from harmful situations are miracles of grace. Lunch with a friend, a walk on the beach, a cozy moment before you get out of bed in the morning, and sitting in front of a blazing fire on a cold winter night are graceful experiences. Even trials that provide us with opportunities for growth and turn our lives around for the good can be acts of grace. During times of weakness, God provides the grace and strength we need when we seek Him. And God’s grace—His love, presence, comfort, and power—helps us through.
Grace is not about laws and rules. It is about love and the divine unfolding of love within us. Gerald May, author of The Awakened Heart, refers to grace as “love happening, love in action.”
A certain amount of mystery accompanies grace. If the definition is not crystal clear, it may be a sign you comprehend the concept more than you realize.
Grace is not an easy term to define—one reference book took six pages, another thirteen. I admire the candor of other authors. One writes he understands grace until he has to describe it. Another gallantly explains he chooses not to define it except through examples.
The concise definition provided here is not intended to be a theological treatise, but rather a brief description of the context in which the term grace is used in this book, because opening your heart to grace is key to improving relationships and living with meaning.
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Copyright © 2003 by Christine N. Karcher. Chris Karcher is the author of Relationships of Grace, Amazing Things I Know About You, and Relationships of Grace Workbook. To order books and tapes, schedule Chris for speaking engagements, or subscribe to Chris’ newsletter, visit www.relationshipsofgrace.com, email order@relationshipsofgrace.com, or call 1-877-GET-GRACE (1-877-438-4722).