“I used to feel so far from God, like I had to work my way back to Him after periods of inconsistency in my time with Him, seasons of unbelief or self-sufficiency, or other sins. I was also convinced God had lost His patience with me.Then I’d try harder and eventually fail again.
Finally, I’d get defeated and wonder, “What’s the use in trying?”
But now I know it’s not about trying harder. It’s about turning sooner. It’s about confessing sin and turning back to God’s gift of grace.
Grace is God’s “undeserved favor.” We don’t have to earn it, and we cannot lose it when we act undeserving. Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Yes, grace cost a lot, but Jesus already paid for it. Because you see… it is “by grace [we] have been saved, through faith—and this not from [ourselves], it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). And God’s grace not only saved us from eternal hell, it saves us from the hell we put ourselves through daily with guilt, shame, self-loathing and condemnation.
Some people ask if grace is a license to sin. A confident woman knows that it’s not. Instead, she realizes grace is the security of knowing God’s love is guaranteed for her because she trusts in Christ. Really understanding His sacrificial gift accomplishes the opposite of granting a license to sin. When we grasp what Jesus did for us, we want to return the gift of His life by offering ours to Him, even if our offering isn’t perfect or even perfectly consistent.” ~ From Chapter 10
Our word for the week is GRACE
Download and print our word for the week in a PDF or in MSWord.
Our verse for us this week: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourself; it is the gift of God -” (Eph. 2:8)
Our prayer for us this week: Lord, thank You that I can approach Your throne of grace with confidence and receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need. Because of Your mercy and forgiveness, my guilt-induced doubt is replaced by grace-induced confidence. Help me trust You with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding, acknowledging You in all my ways so You can make my path straight. Those who know Your name trust You, Lord, because You have never deserted those who seek Your help. In Jesus’ Name, amen. {See Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 3:5–6; Psalm 9:10.}
Let’s Chat: What is one area of your life where you need to receive more of God’s grace and give yourself more grace too?
Please click “share your thoughts” just below this post and do just that. {If you are reading this via email please click here to return to my website to connect with us!}
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Wow, this is just what I needed!!! For a couple of months now I have argued with God about why try? You know I am going to fail, I can’t do what you want me to do and achieve perfection. Three things in my life God wanted me to be more discipline in 1. Tithing 2.Being on time 3. Being Holy.. the first 2 I could do with no problem simple being obedient but the third on was a little harder. I would tell God why should I do this I am going to fail. Every day God would quietly remind me of what I need to do. He didn’t force me, or yell at me, or even remind me of his awesome power and that he could end me if he wanted to…LOL . He just quietly reminded me it needs to be taking care of.. I told him I am going to fail why do it.. He reminded me I was living in Grace. .. but that still didn’t get me off the hook of not having to do it.. I still needed to be obedient, his Grace caught me when I failed, but it was my choice to be holy, it was my choice to be obedient. He patiently waited for me to make the right choice and supplied the Grace I needed to get me to where I was going. I am no surprise to God he knew what he was getting, He knews the times I would fail and the time I wouldn’t, but as a loving father is always their to pick us up, brush us off and say now try it again..That is what Grace is it does what we can’t..
I would like to have more Faith and not be such a Worry wort. I do Love the Lord, I find it hard sometimes,to
do my Prayers I also fight the adversary with my Faith. I am working on all this to be a better Woman that God wants me to be.
Hi Joanne, I can relate! I have chosen this week to TRUST HIM, that is an area that has been very hard for me! I was abused as a child and I know that in order for me to embrace everything that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with, I need to trust!! May you be blessed and filled with hope, faith, peace and joy as you continue you in your journey with Him!! My name is Joanne, too! Have a blessed day!
Well, my name is Joanne, too, and I have been really struggling with faith and worry and doubt, etc. To the point of anxiety! I met with the pastor’s wife to talk about this struggle and she asked me what my name meant. I had no idea and it seemed trivial. She asked me to look it up on my phone and guess what! Our name means God is Gracious! The Lord told her to ask me this, and let me tell you, he was there with us. She explained that our point of giftedness usually is also a place where the enemy will attack. And grace is where I get nailed, yet He’s calling me to be an extension of His grace. How perfect is it for us to to be able to relate to others in their point of need when we’ve been through it ourselves? Now that’s hope 🙂
2Corinthians 12:9 – “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Charis causes me to rejoice and celebrate knowing that Christ is in me and I am in Him and no matter what the trial, the tribulation or the challenge, I can overcome. He bore the Christ for us to L I V E (Living in Victory Everyday). He says that when we think we are weak, we are actually strong, Why, BECAUSE WE ARE HIS IMAGE, OVERCOMERS!!! The power of Jesus is in US, strong, Bold and it is time for us to claim our rightful place as His Heirs!!!!!!!
Thank you for your post. I am going to print this off because it is exactly what I needed to read today.
I need Grace to not judge myself! I love to help others and I often recognize when someone is going through something, but I almost never let others see when I am going through a hard time. I am one of the only single young women in my church my age, and I often wonder what I’m doing wrong and what I’m missing? I feel like I don’t have what it takes to be a wife like my friends do…and I need grace to find my identity in simply being a daughter of the King…not only looking for identity in being, (or not being) a wife or a mother.
I NEED God’s grace in the choices that I make and help me make good strong choices.
Thank you for today’s reading. I can relate to Sue’s comment. My husband of 44 years was diagnose with stomach cancer a year ago. And I can truly say it’s thought the grace of God that I’ve been able to deal with what lies ahead(sometimes).But God is a big God. Yes trusting God with all our hearts and not leaning on our own understanding and acknowledging Him in all our ways can make our path straight. My confession everyday is ” Thank You Father for my husband is heal in Jesus name”.
Renee, Thank you, for sharing your struggles!! It has helped me to see………I am normal!! I have been struggling with doubt, guilt, depression, and feeling that God had left me, due to my shortcomings and disappointments in life! I need grace in all of these areas and I know He is using you, and this book to get me back on the path!! Thank you, again, for your faithfullness and I pray that your Mom will continue to heal and be well once again! God Bless!!
Grace with myself–especially with myself. And I also agree with Irene. I often feel like I blow it on several occassions, and I am sure that I do blow it. I sometimes feel like I can never move beyond where I am. It’s always two steps forward and three steps back. I believe I extend grace, but I don’t accept grace for myself.
This was a good reminder for me today. I am facing a health crisis with my husband who has Lewy Body Dementia. I am having so much trouble sleeping and facing this reality. I beg God daily for patience, strength, courage, insight…but it just doesn’t seem to come. There is much comfort in today’s reading. Thank you.
Hi Sue. I pray for you this morning. I can imagine what you must be experiencing. I am interested to know more about LBD, as my father in law is exhibiting symptoms that seem to fit that diagnosis (so far simply referred to as dementia w/o definite known origin. [email protected] – if you feel comfortable in sharing. Thank you (& everyone else for sharing your hearts. I can relate with many of you. Blessings to you today.
Hi Bernadette I have the same problem about forgiving myself. I seem to be able to for give others and let it go be I still have a hard time believeing God can forgive me, and me forgiving me.I will oray for you about this with every prayer. In Christ Love
I need God’s grace in in my life in regards to forgiveness. That area of my life is where I experience weakness, I need to be able to forgive myself for my past mistakes and to forgive others for disappointing me. My question is if I have forgiven, then how come I cannot not forget and move on?. I need some guidance with this. Help!!!!
Dear Bernadette, How wonderful to read your present struggle with forgiveness. Recently, the Lord took me under His wings of Grace to actually show me where I was failing to forgive in my life. I get Voice of Victory from K.C.M., the message wasn’t in that, but it was in the words the Lord spoke to me as I opened it from the mailbox. He said, The prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. I felt Wow, He wants to get me to the healing rooms to heal me, so I went. After I was prayer for, I was asked if there was anyone I needed to forgive. I thought for a while and nothing came till The Holy Spirit fell on me and revealed where the hidden sin was. I cringed as it all became so real to me, I still felt bitterness towards a close family member, but thought I had forgiven him, but I knew I still criticised him, so the tears fell in a river as I realised how false I had been, I asked for my own forgiveness, then the blessings came. Since that day., He has opened up a whole new place where He wants me to serve Him, the same place where my close family member served as well. I Praise God for His direction and forgiveness, and for the Grace offered to me even in my sin.I now have a new love for my forgiven one as I have been able to let the hurt go, and move on as the Lord directs. I pray He will touch your heart in the same way, just be obedient to His Call. God Bless you as you serve Him, He loves you so much and Hid Grace is sufficient.
I realized lately that I have been “protecting” myself with unforgiveness unknowingly. I prayed for God to help me forgive. I even felt better for a little while. Then something would happen to make me remember the offense again. Maybe it was even a new offense and I would hear “Well, you should have known better from past experience with this person.” Why do you keep putting yourself out there to be exposed again. So I would remind myself or even talk about what this person had done in the past and is doing now. I protected myself with unforgiveness, I put up a wall of saddness, anger, disappointment. I will tell you it did not feel good. Today, God showed me my protection of unforgivenss is actually opening my heart up to the devil, what I need is God’s armor. Eph 6:11-17.
GRACE is not natural to us. We think, like you did, Renee, that we must clean ourselves up first or work it out on our own. But no, God shows us His way — to come to Him with all our struggles, heartaches & faults to be loved again, accepted again, redirected again. I too have this problem — In my very human thinking I want my heart to be “perfect” before anybody sees it, but a loving heavenly Father gently pulls me back with cords of grace bathing me in His love until I can accept His higher way for me. What a God, what a Saviour! I ache to see those I love around me have Him, have His grace to turn to.
AMEN!!
GRACE no other word for Grace, but AMAZING! He’s still working on me..
It’s either funny, coincidental, a blessing, or a much needed slap in the face that, Chapter 10 started today. I really have felt GODS PRESENCE the last three days. Renee, The last part of chapter 10 I know was written for me and I was supposed to read it exactly when I was supposed to. You see I was diagnosed with a small abnormality on the right side of my brain several years ago. My doctors have treated the abnormality with observation. I have gone every year for a cat scan just to make sure there is no growth etc. Well, this past year I have been struggling with headaches, forgetfulness, blurry vision to the point where I can not see to read. So, I made the dreaded app. The results were there was some growth but they felt it was benign and treatment path was going to be a steroid and observation. So I am to return to the doctor June 5 to check on things etc. Well, I have always been afraid of DYING. I am a total whimp in this area of my life. I feel like I have a strong walk with The Lord, I used to feel like I had tremendous FAITH ! However, the changes I had been experiencing had me really questioning GOD and where he was. this weekend I attended the women’s conference at my church. It was Friday night and all day Sat. Until 3:00. The conference was about trusting GOD and building on the trust. Snce this appointment with my doctor has been drawing closer I have had a real genuine FEAR of DYING. Anyway, I left racing to pick up kids and drop them off to their various destinations. When this voice said you need to go back to the church services at 5:30. Well, I was trying to ignore the thought or whatever it was. However, the voice got louder and I found myself talking out saying listen I was at church all weekend the last thing I want is to go to church tonight . I am going in the morning isn’t that good enough. Well, the voice said, My child you have unfinished business at the church. RETURN….So I turned around and went to church. Believe me I was not happy and it was after a lot of yelling back at the voice expressing my discontent. Services were about miracles and healing. Our pastor started talking about overcoming obstacles. He talked about the blind man, etc. then he said to believe in miracles you have to clear obstacles, place your self into growing mode, and be growing in your relationship with him. Cming towards the end of the service. He said he felt GOD speaking to him about those in church tonight who were having issues with their eyes, headaches, or anything going on with the brain. Pastor Doug asked us to stand and come down to the front of the church for healing. Well this was WAY out of my comfort zone so I sat back down. Then Pastor Doug said you know GOD has told me There are those who do not feel comfortable coming to the front so just return to your seats and stand. WE WILL COME TO YOU ! So I stood back up and three people came over to pray with me. After, prayer the couple that was praying with me said, “you have a brain issue don’t you ?” My whole body was shaking. I said yes. The couple said they sensed some fear and I explained that I had an appointment coming up in June and that some of my symptoms had returned with a furry. They wanted me to know they were going to continue to pray and they felt the LORD was actively working to make me a warrior in the situation. I returned to church Snday morning and you are not going to believe this, but service topic was completly different even the music was different. SO, I Heard GOD himself speaking to me. I feel that this was his way of telling me not to FEAR that I am going to be FINE!! Renee, thanks do much for your book. Through your book GOD is teaching me everyday. he has been showing me what is and has been going on in my heart. He is teaching me through past abuse and my present experiences, how to use than to comfort others. GOD is drawing me closer to him everyday asking me to seek him more clearly. I truly think he is preparing me to understand his purpose for me in my life. GOD IS CHANGING MY HARD HEART !!
Christina, thank you so much for sharing your story. I will keep you in pray for complete healing. As I was praying and mediating this morning my thoughts were focus on my sister’s friend whose cancer has returned and she is in terrible pain. please also keep her in your prayers. All God’s blessing.
Christina,
you are an encouragement to other ladies here..God will use your experience for his good!
What an incredible feeling to hear God’s whisper and obey his commands..I know he will honor you with his Grace, Love and Peace.
God Bless !
Christina, thank you so much for sharing… What a beautiful testimony. It brought me to tears 🙂 I know that God wanted me to read that this morning because I have been feeling so discouraged lately. I’ve been really beat up in my head by the enemy’s lies. I’ve been feeling so low, inadequate, dirty, unwanted, rejected and lonely. And now in the last few months I’ve been struggling with my memory, forgetting what I’m supposed to do, where I’m supposed to go and all kinds of details just seem to leave my mind so now on top of my already existing insecurities, I feel really crazy, embarrassed and scared every time I find myself in a situation where my forgetfulness completely overtakes me. I am only 40 but I feel like a 90 year old with Alzheimer’s sometimes 🙁 I have also had sever dizziness and migraines like never before. I too have lived with abuse for pretty much my entire life from my father as a child and now in an emotionally abusive marriage for 20 years. I often wonder if the stress from the abuse has caused some damage to my brain. Lately I’ve been feeling like their is something medically wrong. I am not to the type to be a hypochondriac but I’m really scared that I might have some sort of brain abnormality becuse my memory is getting worse and worse. As you can imagine my self doubt and insecurity is full force especially when I embarrass myself by forgetting something that most “normal” people would remember. I feel so humiliated when I fail others or create problems for others because I simply “forgot” what I’m supposed to do. I am sure these people are now convinced I’m a looney by now. I try to make light of it and even laugh about it to act like its no big deal. But truly I am scared and now the enemy has been bombarding me with fear that something truly is wrong with my brain. I haven’t talked to my doctor about this because I’m afraid he will just brush it off as stress but on the other hand I’m terrified that he might want me to have tests done and it will show a brain abnormality. I’ve been just torturing myself with these thoughts and fears and I know it’s just the enemy trying to bring me down. Your story spoke so deeply to my heart and reminded me that I have nothing to fear becuase God is in control. Whether there is something medically wrong with me or not. He is the Great Physician! He loves me just as I am and accepts me with forgetfulness and all and He will heal me of my broken heart and my broken memory. I thank you once again and I pray that The Lord will completely heal you and cause this growth to disappear. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Ahh Alma I know exactly where you’re coming from! You are not alone sister. My chronic (non stop for 11 years) obsessive, false guilt, replaying scenarios or my mess ups over and over until I have been unable to function with people has almost been the end of my sanity. Like you, my memory started to go, my mind still goes blank when I’m talking to people and I have believed the lie of ‘I have nothing to say.’ Yesterday I felt I messed up big time and as you said was completely DISCOURAGED. Because of my anxiety I often say dumb things when I feel put on the spot (which is all the time! Lol but not funny 🙂 so yesterday at a new church we’re going to this new friend told me about how she was nervous her husband was going to be deploying to Korea and all the nuclear stuff going on over there and I SAID ‘don’t worry, I’m sure if they get nuked we all will.’ Really?! That’s my response?! I fought so hard not giving up yesterday because I even prayed in the morning that God would help me with communication and not to be nervous and then this happens! But God is good, she texted me this morning to get our 2 year olds together, so she came over and I told her about my anxiety with people, how I was so mortified about yesterday and guess what, she struggles with anxiety too!! So we laughed and I could breathe. God, you’re so good even when we’re in the midst of hard Lord…like Alma said, you love and ACCEPT her just where she is with her having a hard time with her memory and the heartbreak these struggles can bring but these things are not WHO she is. She is your beloved, highly valued, precious and like I tell myself now even if I’m drooling & stuttering Lord YOU LOVE ME!! Help us take our mind off of what people think of us Lord. Help us to RECEIVE YOUR GRACE. Your yoke is easy and your burden light. We are the ones who put such heavy burdens on ourselves but that is not your mind for us Lord.
Satan wants us to isolate and feel that we’re crazy & alone on things but I’m realizing we’re not and its really helping to heal the pain of insecurity.Thank you Renee for this beautiful book and bringing us all together! God is breathing life back into me <3
I love it when God uses others to complete a work He has started in me. Through your obedience to God by taking this book study and being obedient to share what He is doing in your life He ministers to us (the body of Christ). Satan would have us live in defeat and not accept what God has for us. I will add you to my prayer journal.
And I meant to include a thank you to Cristina for sharing her story!! Praying for strength & complete healing for you.
Praise the Lord Cristina, thanks for sharing your story. Thank you Jesus for healing her body. We claim in done in Jesus Name!!!
Thank You Cristina for sharing your story. I will keep you in prayer, asking for healing..
Amazing story. I will be praying for you. Keep us posted on you.
Thank you for Sharing it.
Renee I have been living everyday for the last three years in FEAR!!! I am doing your online bible study with your book. I have posted a couple of times about the abuse I endured as a child and the fact that I have been receiving mri’s and cat scans every three months watching this abnormality I have of the brain. it is a growth that has been maintaining one size and just recently has increased in size. So I am of course on lots of meds. Well a couple of weeks ago I received healing and prayer for this specific ailment. Today was my three month testing and the amount of time it was taking for the the tests seemed endless. I was told The doctor would call me around two with the results. So now was the endless wait of FEAR one more time. you know what, I was not anxious, stressed, and I had no anxiety at all. Was calm my time waiting on the phone call was Gods complete cover. The doctor called around 3:30 to tell me that there was NO evidence of an abnormality !!! Praise God it was totally his healing and wonderful promises that have restored my health. God is so faithful and loving.
Gods Grace I believe I receive it daily in spite of my actions at times but I am learning to accept His Love for me. Lordknows how much I second guess and have doubt in my thoughts and my thinking. Renee I hope yourMom is getting much better. Thank you for todays word Grace I haven’t been able to spend much time with The Lord and I miss Him so much. My step son graduated from Pharmacy school so I was caught up with him myself and other family members. I am thankful that you have confirmed it of Gods Grace and love for us it was a deep Huge Price He paid for us all. THANK YOU JESUS. Well I am going to be heading back today mmy joirney back home and I would still like prayer please if possible for Safe trip and for me to pay attention to signs and follow directions- for confidence in myself please. God bless you all.
Myself………..enough said
Parenting! lol 🙂
Parenting for me, too, Esther. 🙂
Me too!
Me too.
Yep, parenting, me too……
GRACE what a perfect word for me to remember. I forget that it was by the Grace of God that we were saved and how much he sacrificed for all of us. When I read the chapter I was reminded of how much I don’t listen to God because I think I can do things on my own. My therapist and I always pray before each session and if I dont’ turn things over to God she will remind that God gave his life for me and I not to doubt his word. As Gideon ask where were you Lord when things were happening to us. I too often ask where were you Lord when the ritual abuse was happening to me. Although I never felt like he was with me he was by my side the entire time helping to cope by allowing parts of me to split off and take on the feelings of the abuse as it was happening. It took me along time to accept this and sometimes that doubt will sneak in and I have to remind myself that I truly was not alone in those times of darkeness. Thank you Renee for writing such a wonderful chapter to remind me of Gods’ Grace.
Robin
I realize that I need God’s Grace when I start to judge myself and others. When I make a mistake, I feel so guilty and hopeless and I start wondering what is wrong with me and how come I am not like so and so who never seem to make any messes of anything in their perfect little lives. After reading this chapter I feel so much better and I am going to try and stop it and just rely on God’s Grace.
i can relate, I beat myself up pretty bad too but I am learning more and more about his grace and how much he loves me….
I so relate to your comment. I am constantly judging others which leads to the whole comparison game and then I get down on myself. I just read something (forgive me if I forgot it was from Renee’s book but I have a couple other devotions I try to read online) it said we judge others outsides against our inside. It is so true. Everyone always looks so perfect and like they have it all together but we can’t see what is going on in their hearts and minds and what mistakes they have made in the last 24 hours. The bible says man judges from outside appearances but The Lord looks at our hearts. Praise Him for that. He knows why we are the way we are and why we do what we do better than we do ourselves.
Ironically I started my devotion this morning and my bible flipped open to the verse that says do not judge others. Again I was convicted by this verse and instead of feeling condemned by this verse like i have been so many times before I read chapter 10 of a Confident Heart and I am yes convicted but know that Gods grace is sufficient for me and I am finally after almost 40 years starting to believe that for myself.
Thank you Irene for sharing and thank you Renee for this amazing book and online study. It is so nice to be able to relate with so many other women and know that I am not alone in my battles and struggles.
Blessings,
Michelle
I need to give myself more GRACE in all areas of my life. Perfection is not to be achieved by me, but it has been achieved by Christ on my behalf. What a precious thought!