“God always makes his grace visible in Christ who includes us as partners of His endless triumph. Through our yielded lives He spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go. We have become the unmistakable aroma of the victory of the anointed one to everyone.”  – 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (TPT)

As I sit and write this blog post, I can’t help but look at my journal and see how I am constantly writing about my gratitude of God’s grace. Because of our relationship with Christ, it is an automatic gift I get to walk in, which is why it is defined as “unmerited favor.” You see, unmerited means something I am unable to earn or I don’t deserve and favor, is finding approval in spite of who I am or what I have done. Therefore, grace is the ability to walk in freedom knowing who my identity is founded in and from that understanding, my words, my thoughts and my actions are a reflection of the confidence given to me by Christ.

I spent too many hours stuck on the pursuit of what this world classifies as perfection. Since it is something I am unable to attain, it’s a foolish pursuit that doesn’t yield any fruit. When I began to cultivate renewal, everything changed. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul states that, “Through our yielded lives, He spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go.” Since I am no longer running towards perfection, I have no other choice than to surrender everything I am to God. It is in the act of surrender than I no longer focus on myself and what I can do. I am able to acknowledge who Jesus is and His empowering presence that enables me to do all things.

“My old identity has been co crucified with the messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the anointed one lives his life through me- we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the son of God who loves me so much that He gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine! So that is why I don’t view God’s grace as something minor or peripheral. For if keeping the law could release God’s righteousness to us, the anointed one would have died for nothing.” – Galatians 2:20-21 (TPT)

These verses display the essence of choosing grace over perfection. When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, my old identity is gone and will never come back. His grace covers me.  “My new life is empowered by the faith of the son of God who loves me so much that He gave himself for me, and disperses his life into mine.” Because of Jesus, my family is closer, my body is stronger, my faith is deeper, my leadership is sharper and my writing is powerful because God’s word is alive and I am gifted by God to communicate his life changing truth.

I walk by faith, it is what enables me to do what I am called to do. It is the evidence of things not hoped for, of the things unseen. Regardless of my circumstances, I can face today knowing God is with me and He loves me. Everything He does and will do exceeds my expectations. Because I’ve received unmerited favor with God, because of Jesus, this precious gift of grace enables me to live each day flourishing by faith.