So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? –Galatians 3:5
A “wake up call” is any circumstance that triggers reexamination and realignment of my priorities. Being diagnosed with cancer surely woke me up, and definitely got my attention. The scary news and the ferocity of the battle rattled the very foundations of my faith.
There is an old, wise saying, “We don’t usually change when we see the light; we change when we feel the heat.” As I passed through the blaze of aggressive cancer and treatments, I cried out to God for relief. What must I do to be healed? I was ready to make changes and sacrifice for Him. Ironically, His response was not for me to be more holy; to spend more time with Him; or to search myself for some deep, dark sin. I should simply seek Him for undeserved blessings. There was nothing I could do to make myself worthy of His healing touch.
It was then I woke up… to grace. The author of Hebrews encourages us to boldly and confidently approach God for this undeserved help.
“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16.
I realized I could boldly approach God through Jesus’ righteous life, not my own. Jesus’ death on the cross washed away my sins through faith, enabling the Father to pour out free blessings on me, including physical healing from cancer.
While trying to grasp the depths of this grace, several points became clear. I should…
· Resist the notion that God owes me anything
· Refrain from making deals or promises to entice God to answer me
· Readily admit and confess my past and present failings
· Refuse to dwell on my past sins, since they’re forgiven in Christ
· Realize I don’t have to pay Him back for His blessings. How could I pay Him back?
At Stronghold Ministry, we don’t believe that if we only pray right or have enough faith, that God is guaranteed to heal. We do believe, however, that our best appeal to Him is through His grace. So let your crisis wake you up – to grace.
THANK YOU!!!!!