grace changes
As we close out 2023 and step into 2024, I feel like this time of year naturally lends itself to reflection. Looking back, we give ourselves the space to consider where we’ve seen growth, change, or progress in our lives, while looking ahead we dream and imagine where we would like to see movement in the future. Many of us think of these plans for self-improvement as New Year’s resolutions: working out, eating healthier, beginning a new hobby, cutting down on social media. With physical activities and practices like these it can be easier to notice when change is (or isn’t!) happening, but when it comes to our mental, emotional, and spiritual lives, spotting change can be difficult. As a counselor, that’s the question that I’ve been contemplating lately: how do I know when change is happening? When I sit across from another person—or examine my own heart—what sort of clues, markers, or reference points am I looking for that indicate change? Not only that, but what is it that actually serves as the impetus for change?
Thinking about what causes change brought me to the idea of grace. It’s certainly true that the grace of God changes and transforms us, but how does this happen? Where do we see it occurring? To answer that question, I got out my Bible and started looking up all the places where the word “grace” appears. There are 131 mentions of grace in Scripture: 124 in the New Testament, 86 of which are attributed to Paul. Amazingly, two-thirds of all the uses of grace are from one author! So, to understand grace we need to understand Paul. The more I allowed that to sink in, the more it made sense. Paul’s experience and encounter with Jesus, the One who is full of grace and truth (John 1:14), profoundly changed him. Scales fell from his eyes (Acts 9:18), symbolizing that his spiritual blindness had been overcome. Jesus’ presence had revealed Paul’s pride, rebellion, and self-sufficiency, and despite all that Paul was selected as a chosen instrument to carry God’s name to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). This singular event is one that Paul comes back to, time and time again, to marvel at and remind others of (see Acts 22:3-11, 26:12-18, Galatians 1:11-17, 1 Timothy 1:12-16). This one life-changing moment helps us see grace as a gift that saves us (Romans 3:24, 5:15, 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace is unmerited favor that originates from the heart and will of God. Grace is the disposition of God’s nature that moves him to treat sinners better than they deserve. But there’s more!
As I kept digging, I noticed that this was not the only way Paul conceived of grace. Certainly, grace is a gift of unmerited favor, but it’s also broader, more expansive than that. Grace is what Paul draws upon to empower and encourage believers to abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). The sufficiency and ever-present availability of grace is what enables Paul to endure suffering (2 Corinthians 12:9). It’s grace that allows Paul to accept himself while also working hard (1 Corinthians 15:10) and it’s what trains us to renounce ungodliness and pursue self-controlled lives (Titus 2:11-14). As I reflected on these truths, I became amazed at the depth and width of grace. It is both gift and power for living. It is God’s love and kindness that produces real, practical outcomes in people’s lives. It is undeserved favor that overflows into powerful helpfulness from God into the areas of life where we need it most.
So, what if in 2024 our attempts to bring about change were empowered by grace rather than white-knuckled effort or human exertion? How might grace, as both a gift and power for living, shift the way you pursue change in your life? Let these words of grace usher you into the New Year: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
Emmett Richardson joined Barnabas Triad is 2021. He earned is MA in counseling from Covenant Theological Seminary and his undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College. Prior to counseling, Emmett spent 5 years working in college ministry. Emmett is married to Molly and they live in Greensboro with their dog Sophie. Outside of counseling, Emmett enjoys CrossFit, exploring local restaurants and coffee shops and spending time with friends and family.
