Strengthened by Grace

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How is it with your soul? 

John Wesley used to ask this question of those in his small group. It’s a bit harder to evade than, “How are you?”

So I ask you today, “How is it with your soul?”

How are you doing at your very core – the inner workings of your heart, your mind, your affections, your relationships, and your will? When you peel back the layers of the onion, how are you, really? How is your spirit?

If this question feels overwhelming to you, you’re not alone. It has felt overwhelming to me in past weeks as well. As I was preparing to write this email, though, I read a phrase in Hebrews 13 that the Spirit has quietly but persistently repeated in my heart and mind. 

“It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace.”

There are a lot of challenging commands in Hebrews 13, all of which have only ever been modeled perfectly by Jesus Himself. By the time we get to verse 9, the responsibility of the believer can seem too massive. Admittedly, there have been countless times when I have seen the needs around me – when my heart has been broken – when my spirit has felt broken. But do you know what our God’s response is?

Allow your heart to be strengthened – established – solidified – built upon the grace that only God can give. 

Feast upon grace. Be sustained by grace.

What does it look like for you to feast upon grace  - to be nourished by grace - this week? 

Father, You are the great Creator, Giver, and Sustainer of grace. Thank you for Jesus, who – robed in humanity – came to change everything, from the course of history to our day-to-day lives. As we continue looking at our lives and unveiling our hearts before You this week, please help us to understand what it means to truly be nourished by grace. Forgive us for our constant consumption of other thoughts and behaviors that make us hungry and thirsty. You alone satisfy. Your grace alone nourishes. When we feel tired, help us to draw near to You and Your grace. Thank you for inviting us to the table to feast. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Joyfully,
Erika