Uncomfortable Grace

In our small group, we are reading "What Did You Expect?" by Paul Tripp. In Chapter 13 he shared something that is worth repeating...and worth thinking about long after I put down the book. He is applying this specifically to marriage...but the applications are far reaching, in my opinion. Paul says:

"I really do think that there are moments in our marriages when we are crying out for grace, not recognizing that we are getting it. We are not getting the grace of relief or the grace of release, because that is not the grace that we really need. No, what we are getting is something we desperately need, the uncomfortable grace of personal growth and change. With the love of a Father, your Lord is prying open your hands so that you will let go of things that have come to rule your heart but will never satisfy you. With the insight of a seasoned teacher, He is driving you to question your own wisdom so that you will find your understanding and rest in His. With the skill of the world's best counselor, God is showing you the delusions of your control so that you will take comfort in His rule. With the gentleness of a faithful friend He is facing you toward your inadequacies of your own righteousness so that you find your hope in His."

Uncomfortable grace.

Oh Lord, help me to see through Your eyes. Help me to behold and worship You in each situation that You bring my way! Forgive me for desiring comfort and ease more than I desire to be holy, to be like You! Help me to rejoice in Your grace...even Your uncomfortable grace!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."  Romans 5:1-5


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