Lesson 3 of 30: Grace is power, not perfection

Lesson 3: Grace is power, not perfection

Grace. There was once a time when I heard the word grace, my insecurities would peep through the surface of my being. As long as I have known myself, I desired to be a graceful woman and felt that I couldn't fit the mold of the dainty and gentle character I understood a woman of grace to be. I believed this predominantly because of my very animated personality, but perhaps I just looked for a reason to disqualify myself the way life, directly and indirectly, taught me to.

When I sat with myself a bit, I realized that I understood grace to mean embodying meekness, quietness, effortlessness, and gentleness. And when I reflected a bit more, I understood I desired to embody "grace" in order to accept that I am finally good enough to be loved. It appears that I considered the word grace to mean perfect. The perfect lady, who doesnt laugh too loud or talk too much. Although embodying the meekness, gentleness and all the other things, can be fruits of grace, that simply is not it. Grace isn't perfection, it's a covering for imperfections.

"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Ephesians 2:8-9

I rememorized this scripture in 6th grade (Big ups, Mrs. Griffiths), and although it followed me for nearly 20 years, I did not fully grasp its meaning until now. The word grace has many different meanings. However, when the soup boils down, grace is the unmerited favor that God has gifted us. It is a covering, protection, and provision. Over the years, I have been blessed to step into the inner chambers of many different individuals and obtain a first-hand account of their oozing sores, pus filled wounds, and imperfections of their soul. And despite all of these things, Jehovah draws near to them, especially when they draw near to Him. He encourages, uplifts, and elevates them into places and things they genuinely don't deserve and sometimes, by the world's standard (an even my own standards at time), they don't qualify for.

"Who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

2 Corinthians 1:4

We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the power of our testimony right? Seeing how those close to me have been covered by God has truly helped me to see how God has bestowed His covering, His grace on me, too. It is helping me to truly receive it and give it as well. A part of giving grace is pardoning others for wrongs and covering their stench with love as God covers it. Not for the sake of covering and pretending it's not there, but to rely on The Holy Spirit in me to interact with those around me. Doing this provides a safe place for them to receive the love of God, which is illumination, and then come to the realization of their wounds. What they decide to do with this enlightment, is solely a matter of free will. If we do decide to surrender to Jehovah our wounds, mindsets, missteps and the like, He is then able to debride it with rivers of flowing water, a flow that leads to the abundance of life our Father promises us.

It's a lot easier to extend grace to others when we recognize that God covers our infections as well. Giving grace is about being gentle with the sores of others even though they may be indeed offensive to you, the way that God is sensitive to ours even though they are quite offensive to Him and this, is receiving grace. Truly, I am grateful because the more I endure this process of extending grace, the more I heal by receiving it for myself, even though it's very uncomfortable.

God’s grace meets us in our weakness and lifts us beyond it. It empowers us to do what we cannot do on our own, and that includes healing our souls and transforming into the best version of yourself. It doesn’t leave us where we are — it strengthens us, transforms us, and makes us capable of living the life God calls us to. 

Grace isn’t for the perfect — it can’t be, because perfection doesn’t need it. Grace is for the broken, the weary, the sinner. It’s the gift God gives when we fall short, not a pat on the back for getting it all right. But here’s the truth we sometimes miss: Grace is more than forgiveness. It’s power. 

"But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 

2 Corinthians 12:9 

CONCLUSION

For my 30s, I’m standing on the truth that God’s grace meets me in my weakness—and lifts me beyond it. It empowers me to do what I could never do on my own. His grace doesn’t demand perfection, yet it never leaves me as I am. It strengthens, transforms, and equips me to live the life He has called me to—fully, boldly, and by His Spirit.

Now that you know, let's grow,

-Kimrose🌹