Noticing God's Grace in Our Lives
If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time asking God for things. A positive response to that job application, improved health of a loved one, or a resolution to the conflict with a friend or spouse. But often, I neglect to notice the grace of God’s movement in those areas.
It could be that the provision arrived in a way I didn’t expect. Or it could be my default is to find what’s wrong with a situation — not what’s right. So, before I’ve noticed His grace, I’m already asking Him to intervene elsewhere.
Either way, the goodness of life and the peace of our day comes from looking for grace. But we’ve got to train ourselves to find it. Reminders from scripture and spiritual practices help us notice what He’s done.
Remember our standing
I’m not someone who believes we should walk around calling ourselves sinners. I believe that Jesus paid the final penalty for us all and because of that, we get to think of ourselves as saints. I also believe that anything good in life, I owe to His death on the cross. There isn’t a thing that I’ve done to earn the sweetness that life brings. I do not “deserve” the taste of a great meal, the love of my husband, or to own a home. None of these are promises from God.
Because of original sin (Genesis 3) all of the wonderful things that God had in store for humans was, in effect, made null and void. Therefore, the goodness and mercy that chase after me (Psalm 23:6) were earned by Jesus. Keeping this in mind can help give us the right perspective and allow us to notice it all as grace.
Pray with mindfulness
My mind automatically notices what’s wrong in any scenario. I’m keenly aware of when someone used an expression incorrectly or when something is out of place in a room. My brain just might have a built-in GPS for “mistakes.” It’s that tendency that makes it vital to look for what’s good and perfect. One way that I do that is by praying the Prayer of Examen.
A recent practice for me, The Prayer of Examen asks us to go back through our day with a fine-tooth comb, remembering how we felt in any given moment and recognizing God’s hand of grace. Perhaps the day started with an email from a colleague that was frustrating but ended with an encouraging conversation with a friend. I can recognize that the problem with my colleague was perhaps left unresolved, but God’s grace allowed for the day to end with peace in my heart.
Share your prayers
I’ve never been able to stick to having a consistent “Prayer Partner” relationship. One or both of us usually drop the ball. But what I have been successful at is cultivating relationships where prayer is a priority. Having a woman or two or three in my life who will ask what I'm struggling with and commit to praying for me face to face whenever we get together or talk on the phone is invaluable. Coffee dates become about more than just “catching up,” but also about lifting up. We intercede for one another, right then and there. Because our lives are busy, and there’s no time like the present.
That same friend can alert me to the grace of God in my life when I fail to notice it, because they sat in the trenches and prayed with me about that very thing.
Recondition your “quiet time”
For years, I thought the expectation for my quiet time was always Bible reading. That I needed to get myself into scripture every morning and see if the Lord would use it to speak to me. And sometimes, He did.
What I didn’t realize was I could also use that time to be quiet before Him. I could sit and stare out of the window for a few minutes, and let Him know that my time was for Him. That I was making myself available to hear from Him. Or meditate on a specific scripture with no plan at all except to place myself in nature and allow my mind to roam. I’ve heard from God on walks with no particular agenda, a time or twelve now.
Noticing the beauty of creation, getting quiet, and remembering the Lord’s track record in our lives helps us to notice His grace and wait expectantly for more.
Celebrate well
When my spiritual director told me “celebration is a spiritual practice,” it sounded almost “unspiritual” to my ears. It’s interesting, isn’t it, how we can have this picture of a dour, somber God? The same God who asked the people of Israel to celebrate and remember the Passover each year. And the same God who produced the good wine during the wedding at Cana.
These days I’m making it a point to celebrate. It means taking the time to remember and praise God with merriment for the grace that He shows us. I want to be better at taking note of the conversations that I did not plan, the opportunities that came my way unexpectedly, and the general feeling of well-being that I close my eyes with at the end of the day.
Did you have a particularly great day? Tell someone about it and praise God. Did the interview go better than expected? Pour that glass of wine.
It’s all grace.
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