Let God’s Grace Change Your Difficult Circumstances

How often do you let grace control your outlook on circumstances?

My husband commented at lunch one day, “Your mood is so different than it was over the weekend. You were so happy and loving life then. But, when you don’t get enough sleep – you hate everything! Today, it’s all horrible.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Sleep is one of my biggest struggles. If I don’t get enough, I become deeply angry with the world and anyone who dared wake the dragon. Now that I’m a mom of two little ones, the Lord has taken away my sleep control as I must tend to them throughout the night, which probably increases my frustration.

Yet, in the middle of these strong emotions, I keep hearing the phrase, “This too is grace for you.”

Exhaustion and difficulties are evidence of how much we need God’s grace.

Every circumstance of our lives is given to us by God, by His grace. Because He desires for us to love Him above all things, He is at work transforming us into His image, and therefore allows difficult circumstances to enter our lives – sometimes as a season, and sometimes permanently.

Every circumstance that forces us to realize our spiritual thirst for Him and to run to Him is grace.

Maybe your baby has you up a million times a night…. this too is grace for you.

Maybe your husband has to work longer hours than usual… this too is grace for you.

Maybe your emotions are all over the place and you can’t find that internal “peace” you long for… this too is grace for you.

Seeing God’s grace in suffering is a skill we can learn.

The Apostle Paul was an expert at seeing this grace. After going through very difficult circumstances and great personal suffering, Paul said,

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11b-13, ESV).

LEARNED.

The only person who ever managed contentment the first time around was Jesus.

Paul didn’t wake up one day perfectly content for the rest of his life. Like you and I, he struggled and learned contentment. God put him through tremendously amazing experiences and through the deepest agony of suffering. This too was grace for Paul. Through these things, he experienced a strengthening from Jesus only possible because of his suffering.

Jesus told Paul…

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Especially when I’m low on sleep, this is comforting. Jesus’ power isn’t made perfect by my good attitude and my gentle parenting. No, His power is made perfect in weakness… partly because in our weakness we must cling to Him with a desperation that our successes do not require.

So, dear one, as you listen to the still small voice whisper in your ear saying, “Grace, grace, grace, grace…” allow your heart to slowly change.

It’s not an overnight shift. We don’t suddenly jump out of bed on sleep-deprived mornings with joy and a song.  But we can start to see those mornings differently.

Learn with me to stand and confess our bad attitudes and sins rather than stew over life’s discomforts and frustrations. Let us choose together to practice adoration of our loving Father. In difficult circumstances, God grants you the grace of seeing Him in new ways.