Diligently Asking for God’s Sustaining Grace - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 3

Diligently Asking for God’s Sustaining Grace
By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:
“…You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:2-3, ESV).

When we are taking steps in obedience to God, the resistance to moving forward grows stronger, and it feels like we are treading through mud just to take a step. My husband, Paul, and I have been experiencing this since we started leading a new ministry at our church, while juggling all the rest of our responsibilities, caring for our boys, and our own individual lives.

Even though it’s exhausting and sometimes discouraging when things feel so chaotic and stressful, I must remind my heart that our God is stronger and will use whatever seems to be standing against us (especially our own sinful flesh!) to grow and deepen our faith and sanctify us. But this doesn’t mean it isn’t painful or that I am quick to learn how to depend on Him!

Personally, I am working on resting in the new mercies of today and being quick to repent and ask for forgiveness. I feel like I have failed a lot in my behavior towards Paul and my boys these last few weeks. I don’t want to blame it on hormones and lack of sleep (although I know this adds fuel to the fire, so to speak). Because God’s grace is available to me. But am I asking for it diligently? Probably not as much as I should.

If His grace is truly sufficient (and it is), do I live like I’m dependent upon it daily and praying without ceasing throughout my day? The book of James is a wonderful guide for believers. In chapter 4, we discover that we must protect our hearts from worldly thinking. Often, when we are trying to take control of our lives and not rest in God’s grace and provision daily, we resort to either neglecting God’s ever-present help or asking God with wrong motives:

“…You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:2-3, ESV). 

James 4 merely tells us that if we want something, we should ask God for it rather than resort to sinful means. It stands to reason that there are some things that we will not get unless we ask for them, but if we ask, we will receive them. So, if there is something that we want, we need to ask. Christians should be praying and asking God, especially for His supernatural grace.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Instead of trying to control what feels so uncontrollable in our lives and allowing our circumstances to dictate our mood or behavior, let us boldly come to the throne of grace and ask our Father for His unwavering and sustaining grace. He is faithful to provide.

We must remember that God’s grace is sufficient and that He is our ever-present help in times of need, but sometimes our actions do not reflect these truths. It’s much easier for us to either complain about our stressful, difficult circumstances or take matters into our own hands to fix or change what seems to be causing us to feel so overwhelmed. We must remember to come to the Lord and ask for His grace when we have reached our limits. The Lord is so faithful to provide all things that we need because He is a gracious Father who cares deeply for His children. Let us approach Him as His child today, boldly and humbly asking for His sustaining and powerful grace to carry us through each challenging moment. He is so faithful in every season, especially in the difficult ones. When you feel weak, remember that it is a good thing- that is precisely when you will experience His power and strength that will sustain you and carry you through it all! 

Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Hebrews 4:15-16

How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Anastasiia Stiahailo 

Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com! 

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