Empowered, Never Enslaved
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (I Corinthians 15:10)
Do you feel like you have nothing to give or may be weighed down by your past mistakes?
The apostle Paul knew what it was like to be weighed down by guilt. He called himself the least of the apostles. He had once hunted Christians. Now Christ had brought about a radical transformation in his life.
But Paul did not pretend that change came from himself. He points us to God's grace, God's kindness, not earned but given. Paul's life shows that salvation and service are both completely God's work. He says, I am what I am only because of God's kindness.
Grace is not a push to try harder or to impress God. Grace is God's steady love poured into people who cannot rescue themselves. Notice that Paul does not rest on his own effort. He says he works hard, but it was not him. It was God's empowering grace for service working in him.
You, Christian, are not left to struggle alone. The Spirit works inside you, shaping you for service and faithfulness. While God's grace is a rescue, it's also an engine moving you forward toward faithfulness.
Are you trying to please God on your own? Stop carrying that weight. You are not a slave trapped by fear or duty. God's kindness frees you and fills you with power to serve him out of love, not fear. This is the freedom that comes from living in acceptance, not fear.
Paul's experience was not unique. Peter, who denied Jesus three times, was met by the risen Lord and experienced complete forgiveness and restoration (John 21:15-17).
In both Paul and Peter, God's grace made weakness into strength through divine acceptance. He does the same in you. As believers, we have the Spirit of Christ in us because we are accepted and forgiven. Our true identity is rooted in his acceptance. In Christ, we are not working to pay God back.
The debt has been paid. Now we are free to work, not as slaves but as loved children. The gospel is always about Jesus first, not us. He is our helper, our hope, our joy.
Remember, God's grace is a gift given, not earned. It brings about complete transformation and makes you into a new person.
You are not powerless or left to struggle in your own strength. The Spirit who raised Jesus lives in you (Romans 8:11). You are free, forgiven, and equipped for good works prepared ahead of time (Ephesians 2:10).
Rest in God's equipping. This is God's empowering grace for service. Get up and serve with joy. The grace that saved you also sustains you in freedom and love.
Father, you are kind, powerful, and faithful in your promises. Forgive me for trying to serve you in my own strength. Thank you for giving me your Spirit and making me new in Christ. Please help me trust your grace and serve with joy today. In Jesus' name we pray.
Song: How Great Is Our God