Thoughts from In the Grip of Grace

I just finished reading Max Lucado’s book In the Grip of Grace. His chapter on Sufficient Grace really spoke to me. He starts by telling us that God’s gift of grace is sufficient, but often we don’t want to accept it or we want it different or we want more.

But, then he hits home. When we pray for something we don’t get. He says we are just doing what the Bible tells us to: “ask God for everything you need” (Phil.4:6)
And we ask and ask and wait and wait.

Max then asks the reader a question. “What if God says no?”

Basically – will we still love God? Will we still praise God? Is God any less in our eyes if He says no?

If God’s only gift to us is our salvation – is it enough? Max says from heaven’s perspective; grace is enough. He goes on to remind us how Paul prayed three times to have a thorn removed from his side. Various things have been suggested over time as to what that thorn might have been, but we don’t know. Whatever it was it bothered Paul intensely.

Max wrote that if God had made Paul’s life easy, Paul might not have focused on God so much. He may not have been strong enough to stand up to all the legalists. He may have felt he was self-sufficient and didn’t need God. He may have become conceited.

Then the focus shifts to the reader as he asks, “You wonder why God doesn’t remove the enemies in your life? Perhaps because he wants you to love like he loves. Anyone can love a friend, but only a few can love an enemy.” “You wonder why God doesn’t heal you? He has! If you are in Christ, you have a perfect soul and your body will be perfect in heaven.”

I love where he says, “God would prefer we have an occasional limp than a perpetual strut.”