Now or Never: Daily Promise 22
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"God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:6 (NKJV)
I love the way The Message paraphrases the first Beatitude. It says, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” Matthew 5:3 (MSG) As you read this, you may find yourself there - at the end of your rope. You may feel frozen in destructive hurts and habit patterns that are harmful to you and your relationships, and you don’t know what to do. As strange as this may sound, I believe you’re in a good place – a now-or-never moment in your life. A place for restoration to begin in your life!
The first step for restoration is to humbly admit my powerlessness to change myself and control everything. Even the great Apostle Paul realized this in his own life when he disclosed the personal struggle in his own soul. In Romans 7:15-17 (LB), he humbly admitted, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to – what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside of me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.”
Can you relate? If we’re honest, we all can! The good news is that God offers grace to melt those barriers in our lives that have kept us frozen and prevent the flow of His presence and power. But how do we access that grace? His grace is made available through humility when we humbly admit our need for God and others. The Bible promises us in James 4:6 (NKJV) that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Grace is the power and desire to do God’s will. Grace is the power to change! You receive that grace when you humbly admit your need for it. This is your now-or-never moment to experience that grace.
If you’re at the end of your rope, you’re in a good place for God to bless you. Humbly admit your need for God and make room for His grace to flow in your life. Then claim the promise of James 4:6 and experience His power that changes you from the inside out.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.