- The power and mystery of Grace in the heart -

          Today I was dealing with the spiritual depression, which often comes when a saint is forced to see again the wretchedness and all to often-ness of their sin.  I am very thankful that my “merciful Father” as given me the grace to set too my memory the first 2 chapters of Ephesians, which as been a fountain of strength to me at many times in my Christian walk. Like many times before, while at work and asking God to shine the light of His Gospel of His Son in my heart, as I was reminiscing on the first chapter of Ephesians. In this meditation of these verses God was kind and merciful to me, as I don’t deserve such infinite love, and He showed to me the power of the knowledge of His Grace in the heart. For in my depression, as I am sure is a common experience with most, I wanted to gather more fight in my soul to forget the past and strain for the “upward call of God in Jesus Christ”, but my depression was a obstacle to this desire of mine.

Ephesians 1:5,

”In Love… having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

Oh the depth of Gods grace and the wonderful mystery of His Wisdom in how He orchestrates the freeing power of Grace in the heart of the believer. Upon thinking on the above verse my soul found the hope and sure rock it was so longing for, “Grace”, Gods “grace” given to me before the creation of the world through Jesus Christ. And I again found my soul being lead to behold and view the beauty of Gods free grace. And in these thoughts I found the strength and happiness to moved forward in love in my walk with Jesus Christ.

What I found this the strength to move forward in this Christian walk is not found in practical list, which we earn or climb our way back to a place, where we, at least halfway, feel worthy again of Gods love and kindness. Instead what I found God revealing afresh to me is that spiritual strength is found in the joy of Gods free “mercy” for, “the joy of the lord is my strength.” What I have come to find is that freedom to pursue God comes from resting and rejoicing in Gods Grace, in the eternally planned and finished work of Christ on the Cross, now reigning in Heaven interceding on my behalf.

When the soul sees that Gods love is given to us, not by our works, but through His Grace, which He decided to give us, in and of Himself, then the soul finds what it needs, “hope”, and in Christ we find this is not just an ordinary hope but because of Gods love is given through His freedom, then this hope is a “living hope”, for Christ “always lives to intercede” for us who He has “called.”

             What a freeing thought it is to know God has given us Grace based not on our deserves, but instead gives us grace because He simply wanted to, in His freeness and love, through the willing sacrifice of the eternal Son Jesus Christ.

            My heart is centered on concluding this letter and journal with this exhortation to myself and to all who it may concern. Remember the strength to fight and move forward in the Christian walk, especially when dealing with depression is not in practicality. It is found when the Heavenly Father revels the Glory of His Grace to our hearts and minds. Thus it would behoove us to concentrate on putting a steady gaze on the Glory of Gods grace given to us in Jesus Christ. To see His freeness in it, His passion and wisdom and power and all of His other glorious attributes in it(gospel). For in this, as I have found to be true today, we will have the hope and strength to press forward and toward Jesus Christ. For “hope” is the strength itself, it is faith and hope and Admiration on the free glory of Gods grace, which is that, which strengthens us. Thus any other way is futile, and is anti-evangelicalism, truing the gospel into a mere pagan religion.

            It is ironic that resting in, rejoicing and trusting in the free Grace of God is the very thing, which strengthens our passion to move past spiritual depression, when the depression it self is grounded on the fact we don’t feel worthy enough of Gods love in the first place. What I have found this that the strength of the Christian walk is ironically found in not striving to be more godly per-say, but in fully resting and believing that God loves us based upon GRACE in Christ. Resting and truly believing Gods love is based on His grace is the freedom and true source of life of the saint. Therefore we must strive to know all the shades and depths of the mystery of God Mercy and Grace provided in the life and death of Jesus Christ. Thus there is only one thing, which remains for us to do.

Prayer: