“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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Renee, I love the honesty in your story and I thank you for sharing. It does make me feel so much better to know there are others like me! My biggest struggle is my mouth. I can be right in the Word, feeling great, learning lots and then I get around others, caught up in the moment and stupidity comes out. My faith has grown so much over the last two years but when I make these mistakes I beat myself up thinking “how will anyone ever see the difference in me and I believe I’m a Christian??” I know now that its the enemy hitting my weakest point but its a struggle. I love the line “It’s about turning sooner”. As I draw myself closer to him, I do still mess up but I find myself responding differently. Over the weekend, I’ve had a really short fuse and I found myself with my eyes closed in the car trying to ‘capture each thought’ and just turn it over to Jesus. Instead of going to bed at night beating myself up for the sins of the day, I really need to also rejoice and thank Him for those times I felt the Holy Spirit’s guidance or where I felt I may have made a difference through His strength. Sometimes it may be just being thankful for toilet paper on the roll but it really helps the confidence as well!
I need more grace when it comes to my quick temper and anger.
YEP me too, especially with my grandsugars!!!
Thank you for being so willing to share those places where you most desperately need God’s grace. I want to be that friend who reminds you of the truth your heart was created with a need for the gift of Grace – favor undeserved – love unconditionally lavished over you by your Heavenly Father.
The enemy wants us stuck in that cycle of beating ourselves up, living defeated day in and day out. But we can choose differently. We can look at the patience and Grace God extends to us and accept it as a gift – each and every day.
Just for tomorrow, will you be as kind to yourself as Jesus is. Just for one day – try it. receive it and see how different things can be when you live loved and forgiven each moment, each day.
Cant wait to hear what God shows you and how He loves on you as you read Chapter 10 🙂
I need more grace in my food choices and being to hard on myself. I mess up everyday and I really talk myself down when I mess up. It is not easy being a christian but I deal with the struggles cause it will be worth it all in the end. My temper and patience gets me in lots of trouble but I know with Gods grace I can conquer it. My food choices are not good sometimes and I get so mad at myself cause I will lose 5 lbs and can gain it back in one day. Please pray for me that I will do better.
An area that I need more of God’s grace is in the area of my food choices. I have been able to maintain my 90 pound weight loss now for almost 5 years. I work for the company that helped me to establish a healthy life style and helped me lose weight. I am very disciplined in my food choices. When I have slip ups, go way “off plan”, or have more then one portion of something, I tend to become critical of myself and end up being way too hard on myself. Moments like these are when I need the Lord’s grace. Accepting that I will have slip ups, and that is ok! I have owned the Truth from Ephesians 2:10 (and many of the great advice found in chapter 8) that I am God’s masterpiece! I’m created anew in Christ Jesus to do the good works that He planned for me so long ago. I am grateful that He allowed me to become healthy, lose my weight, so that I can better serve Him and His kingdom purpose in my life.
Kourt I understand how you feel. I have lost 51 lbs in about a year and need to lose at least 50 more. It is so hard to not have slip ups. I get tired of always dieting. I have had to ask God to help me to not give up. I am at a point were I lose 5 lbs and then gain 5 lbs. I will be praying for you and ask that you pray for me,
Like many of you have shared, I know that I blow it all the time. I loved Renee’s transparency in sharing her “blowing it” moment. Cursing is something I struggle with on occasion and something I have to surrender daily to God. I don’t have trouble believing God can forgive me and cover me with his grace. But I sure have trouble forgiving myself and often beat myself up for my mistakes. I am so thankful for Renee’s faithfulness in sharing how to focus on God and His Word.
I definitely need God’s grace when it comes to living for Him. I regularly have guilt for not being “better” at the life He has given me.
feeling like im not good enough because im always messing up
I need to give myself more grace when it comes to be perfect in work and other things. Its okay to make mistakes. We all do .Im learning to let it go and move on. Thank you Lord that You don’t require us to be perfect. Its entirely too much work to be “prefect” all the time. I can let go and rest in my Father’s hands knowing that I am loved just the way I am!
More grace in the areas of healing and addictions; who I am in this season of my life…
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself” a new creation every day–thank you, God!!!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!!!
I did look ahead at Chapter 12. However my kindle does not line up very well. Do you have this chapter in pdf? Though a printed copy to refer to would be helpful.
I need GRACE desperately. I started reading chapter 10 last night. I am struggling with insecurities. I am getting so nervous about my upcoming exam because I failed in the past. The thing that struck me the most was “we all blow it, but God offers grace to cover our guilt.” Also, “instead of changing our circumstances, often God uses our circumstances to bring us closer to Him, make us more like Him, and help us find our confidence in Him.” I am only half way through the chapter but I did feel more at peace last night. I have so much fear and anxiety about this exam. It will give me more time with patients, more income so my son can go to the school he wants to go to, those two incredibly letters behind my name RN, and my dream will have finally come true. I guess it’s because it is fast approaching, my anxiety level is at an all time high. I hope to continue this chapter over the next few days.
He’s with you now and will be guiding you through every question on the exam!! Lean on Him completely, He loves it when you do!! Let your anxiety work for you and push you even closer to Him!! He will replace it with peace as you sit for your exam, He promises never to leave you – CLAIM IT!! I will be praying for you!!
I know the anxiety too well as I sat for my own board exams. The last one in tears, as I mourned a great loss as well as studied for it. He will work all things for good…..even your weaknesses. It helps you focus when all you have strength to do is look to Him. He is already there, and has gone before you to make the crooked places straight.
Just take one step at a time, He gives you grace for the moment you are in and has already conquered tomorrow!! ENJOY HIM!! And above all…..STUDY FOR HIM – knowing He will lift you up in due time to do HIS work!! May He bless you and all the work of your hands!!! Deut. 28:12
I need to ask and give myself more GRACE in my own Self Talk. I make the slightest mistake and I turn it into a mortal sin. I can do nothing right and if I do do something right its not all that great.
Praying that you grow in confidence:)
AMEN Me too!!
I literally had written an email telling a friend of mine I wish I was more “consistent” with my trust/faith/not doubting God. And low and behold I read the title of Renee’s next chapter – “When doubt whispers ‘I can’t follow God Consistently’ “.
Talk about reasons NOT to doubt God….He knows exactly where we are, and what we need right where there. Would you expect your baby to run a marathon after all? You’d be just as happy when they reach their hands to you to ask for help to stand up as you are to watch them walk.
So that said, even just seeing the title of Renee’s chapter 10, it reminded me that God doesn’t expect me to be perfect. Yes He shows His faithfulness every morning, yes, He provides beyond expectations. Its time I be like a child and enjoy the moment in Him rather than striving to earn GRACE, through testaments of my own unfaltering faith in Him. In my weakness, HE IS STRONG. And that is the only testament that needs to be made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJODOpe_M8E
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don’t turn away
Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I’m not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run
And I’ll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don’t fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world’s sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life
Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I’ll never let you go
I love this song:)
I need God’s Grace in most areas of my life lately. I have worried about everything too much. Now I am learning to pray about everything. My mother’s passing has been very hard on me and my brother and father. My little dog, has been bleeding out of his nose and is due for surgery tomorrow morning. Granted he is 13 but he is my surrogate child. My work, I need to make sure I can earn enough to survive. Our bills, they are piling up too high. This is some of the areas I need help. As far as giving myself grace. I don’t know if I can. Renee, I am so glad my friend thur our Lord brought me to this study and your kind wise words. I am glad your mother is doing better as I truly understand that helpless feeling when there isn’t anything you can do.
Prayers to all these women here too. God Bless!
Honestly, I need grace in ALL areas of my life. The main places I struggle is with forgiving myself for past mistakes and not put unnecessary demands on myself and if I don’t achieve whatever ridiculous goal I’ve set not to beat myself up. At times I put unnecessary stress on myself. I want to be the perfect character with the hat I have to wear at that time. I want to be the best wife, the best daughter, the best whatever. The only thing others expect out of me is my best, nothing more. I get in my mind I have to be superwoman and take on the world. I sometimes forget Jesus already did that for us, and he’s the only perfect person in the world.
I need more grace in the area of marriage and employment for my spouse. I’m not at a good place in my patience I’m like at a point of no return! Please keep me in prayer.
Hi, I just wanted to thank Christina for sharing her powerful testimony, at first glance when I saw how long it was, I thought to myself “no way” I don’t have time to read that long comment, but them something said read it, then I started to read it and tears started to run down my cheeks, because I’ve been dealing with on-going illness, financial burden, feeling of unworthiness, condemnation for lack of zeal for God and inconsistency in my devotion with Jesus because of my ongoing spiritual attacks ive been feeling exhausted and hopeless!! I have felt far from God, but reading your long comment has brought me hope and comfort, it has cause me to rise and know that God cares for what concerns us!!! Along with all the other comments I feel new hopes, as if God knows what I’m going through and he is still here with me!!! Thank you som much to everyone and to Renee for this beautiful blog!!!!
We need to listen to the whispers of faith rather than the shouts of fear, discontent, abandonment. Just quiet yourself and as I say to my grandmonsters, “Put your listening ears on”
My struggles are looking at my friends who have soooo much financially. You see I had financial comfort and stability. About 5 years ago my husband embezzled money to provide for his gambling addiction. He lost his job and we lost everything. My daughters who worked so hard really didn’t have many options for college be ause no money and I couldn’t co sign because of my credit. We are since divorced and I have a fabulous job and many blessings. But when I see my friends with the gift of finances I condemn myself. Why me Lord? I’m 58 years old starting over worrying about the future. My daughters won’t have the big wedding, all college monies are a struggle to borrow and living in an apartment waiting for my credit to clean up to buy a house. I want to hear The Lord more and understand Why? I also know that this is the Best thing and the Worst thing that happened to us. My girls know The Lord and are not involved in any drugs, alcohol and I could be telling another story, but God has kept his hand on them. I want to be inhuman and not let materialism and financial comfort shake my faith.
Peace and comfort to my sister’s in Christ,
Linda