Have you ever gotten one of those coupons for 30% off at your favorite store? I love the ‘special’ ones that can be used on both regular and sale prices!
On one particular shopping trip, I remember finding a jacket on sale for 20% off, and I also had the ‘special’ 30% off coupon to use. (Jackpot!) I approached the register with excitement about my newly discovered bargain, but unfortunately my enthusiasm was short-lived. During the check-out process, the computerized scanner rejected my coupon.
“You have to read the fine print,” the cashier said. “There are exclusions.”
How disappointing! Just when I thought I had a plan, there were exclusions listed in fine print interrupting it all. Have you ever been in that situation? Not necessarily in the check-out line, but in your life? Have you ever had an idea or plan, but then began to think of all the ‘fine print’ reasons that you weren’t good enough to execute it?
Maybe you thought about how you had messed up in the past and so you excluded yourself based on unworthiness or sinfulness. Or maybe you thought about how you weren’t pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, or holy enough. The list goes on and on . . .
But here’s some good news:
In Christ, you are accepted. Because in the midst of the God’s grace, there is no fine print.
His grace shows up even when others don’t forgive us . . . even when our mistakes outweigh our successes . . . and even when we feel unloved and unworthy.
Grace breathes into all the empty places and fills us with pure love.
There are no exclusions.
We don’t have to get cleaned up first. (Grace overshadows our dirty mess.)
We don’t have to follow ten proven steps. (Grace overwhelms our weak attempts.)
And we don’t have to try and fix ourselves. (Grace overpowers our best efforts.)
John 3:16 says “whosoever”. Matt. 11:28 says “all”.
God’s grace is an invitation to come as you are. There is no expiration date or hidden fine print!
So why is it so hard to live in grace? Why do we allow society’s unspoken rules to dictate our attitudes and emotions?
The specific answers are different for each of us, but there’s one thing we have in common: We often strive for perfect performance when all God wants is for us to accept His perfect gift.
Jesus didn’t come and die just so we could barely get by. He came so we could thrive (John 10:10), and His grace gives us freedom from the chains of performance and comparison.
Grace says you are enough.
You are treasured by the God of the universe, who is absolutely crazy about you!
Breathe in that truth. Inhale grace and let it fill in all the empty spaces, for you are deeply loved, without any exclusions or fine print requirements.
He comes to you as you are.
That’s the miracle of God’s grace.
The Bug says
Amen!
Shirley Nichols says
You explained things very well—‘ keep up the good work—Love you Shirley. Come to see us sometimes
Sherri Autrey says
Thank you Aunt Shirley!
Beth Sutherland says
Oh Sherri! This is so beautiful! There are so many times when we feel like we aren’t good enough. But, you’re right. Praise God, there are no exclusions with HIM. Keep writing, sweet sister!
Sherri Autrey says
Thank you Beth!
Diane Edwards says
Thankful for Grace, that did not exclude me!!! Lovin your blog!!!
Sherri Autrey says
Thank you Diane!