grace abounds all the more

The last couple days, I have been wrestling with many questions and concepts that have weighed heavy on my heart. From the definition of sin to what grace really means and how we live in it. Here is a prayer that i wrote in my journal this morning after searching Scripture for God's truth and what He had to say about all the questions I had flooding my mind. God is the author of all truth and I find so much comfort in knowing I have a God who isn't afraid of my questions. I pray this will remind you of the foundational truths of the Gospel and our faith and take you back to the beginning, remembering what our Savior has done for us and the grace we have been given. this prayer was inspired by Romans chapters 1-8. I pray this may be the prayer of our generation in the broken world we find ourselves in.

Hi King Jesus,

I spent time in Your Word,

searching for the answers i seek.

I think it comes down to this,

I am a sinner,

But you don't punish me for my sin.

Your Son took the punishment for my sin,

the death that was a result of my sin.

This shows You are a just & loving God.

You are love

and You are grace.

Grace is Your way of showing You love me.

Because I live in a broken world, and the battle between flesh & spirit is real

i will struggle with my flesh & sin until my physical body dies & i unite with You.

But the way You will see me in heaven one day is the same way you view me now.

And when Jesus died,

so did my slavery to sin.

I will still struggle with sin daily,

but sin is not the end all be all anymore.

It is not my master.

Instead, i now have life in You that is continuing to do a work in me to be sanctified.

But the thing is, i have not arrived

nor will i on this side of heaven.

but that is okay because You already view me with the same righteousness as Jesus

You already proclaimed me righteous, so my sanctification is not to earn it.

rather, i am being sanctified by You to be more like You.

that my life may be a testimony of You.

This is not of my own doing, for trying to make myself righteous or "better" is impossible.

Rather, it is the Holy Spirit at work within me while I am still a sinner.

It's not about earning my righteousness,

I have already been proclaimed Holy & pure BY GOD!!

But rather, I run from sin with the help and strength of You, God

and in doing so, i run from death and destruction for my soul and set my eyes on the One in whom i find my life.

I will mess up on this journey,

for i am still a sinner,

but might i remember the complex title i have been given:

"A righteous sinner"

And the hope is that i run from this world & into the arms of my Father.

Oh how amazing it feels to no longer be running from something but to someone,

actually not just someone... The One.

where fear used to be my restless pursuer pushing me to the point where my mind and heart never found rest, feeling as though i would never be good enough

and where grace is now my steady pacer, calling me to rest at the cross where i no longer have to strive.

And though i will fall, no doubt, My Savior will be there to catch me.

For though i will continue to fall, His grace will always be greater, to remind me i am loved, and that i am not defined by my actions,

but by one single action of You King Jesus.

For where my humanity shows itself in the form of sin, grace abounds all the more.

oh thank You Jesus,

You set me free

Love,

-A Righteous Sinner