Recognizing God's Grace in Everyday Life

What is God's Grace?

When I talk about God's grace, I am not talking about coincidence, superstition, or luck. In fact, I do not believe in any of those things. Grace is a blessing from God that we do not deserve. You see, God loves us so much, He wants to bless us. He wants to help us. He is only waiting for us to seek Him and invite Him into our hearts and ask for His help. Mark 11:24, says, 'therefore, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.' But how do you recognize God's grace showing up in your life? Keep reading to hear some examples that may help explain.

Examples of Grace in Our Lives

Recognizing God’s grace can sometimes feel elusive. It’s often woven into the fabric of our daily lives, appearing in the least expected moments. For instance, I experienced God's grace firsthand when a nurse noticed my baby had a heart murmur. She was the first to say he had a murmur out of many medical personnel that had seen my son in the first 14 hours of his life. No one else had caught it. Her observation kicked off a series of actions that ultimately saved his life. It's remarkable how a simple interaction can cause profound life changes, all under the watchful care of God's grace.

Finding Grace in Times of Trouble

There are also those moments when we find ourselves in dire situations—like the time my car was stuck on a main highway in the dead of winter. I had started to make a left hand turn out of my driveway when the back tires began spinning on the ice at the edge of my driveway. It was a busy road and staying in that vulnerable position put us in harm's way. Suddenly, I noticed headlights approaching and a car coming directly toward us. I was in their lane and beginning to panic because my one- and five-year-old children were in the car with me. In that moment, I cried out to God, a simple ten-word prayer, "Please Jesus! My babies are in the car with me!" Suddenly, the back tires gained traction and pushed my car forward. I hit the gas and quickly straightened the car into my own lane, avoiding the oncoming car and what would have been a deathly collision. That was grace. It wasn't just luck; it was divine intervention!

Grace can come in the mundane struggles of daily life. One particular warm spring afternoon, I was working to open our pool for the kids to take their first swim of the year. My husband was at work, and I was successful in getting the solar cover off by myself and I had managed to hook up the pool vacuum (something I often struggled to do alone) and cleaned the entire pool. The kids were in their swimsuits and ran to the poolside holding their beach towels. That was the moment we realized that we had not yet put the pool ladder into the pool! Determined not to let that discourage me, I had the kids help me drag the ladder to the side of the pool. This was not a simple aluminum pool ladder. It was a 56" above ground swimming pool platform ladder with step barrier and it weighed 56 pounds (out of the water). I was able to lift the ladder enough to throw one side of the steps into the pool. The moment those steps hit the water, it began to bob up and down in the water making it nearly impossible for me to hold onto it. I needed to push the steps down into the water so they would submerge and fill with water, but I did not have the strength to hold onto the ladder, balance it upright in the water, while pushing it down. I tried to ask my youngest daughter to help but she was not tall enough to reach now that the ladder was half in the pool, and at this point, the other half had me pinned between the legs of the ladder and the pool. I cried out to the Lord, "Please God! I can't do this on my own! Please, help me!" In the blink of an eye, the ladder straightened up in the water and balanced enough for me to shove the steps down into the pool, filling them with water and anchoring it while I set the legs on the outside of the pool. These moments serve as reminders that God is not distant; He is involved in the intimate details of our lives, eager to showcase His grace if we just call on His Name!

Grace shows up when we least expect it, and being open to recognizing these moments can change how we interact with the world around us. The wonderful thing about grace is that it doesn't just help us in our times of need; it also encourages us to extend kindness to others. I was provided this important lesson when my baby was in the NICU. They did not have private rooms in the NICU at that time, so parents were not allowed to stay overnight by their child's bedside. However, I was permitted to stay in the family housing area meant for out-of-town families with patients in the NICU because I was breastfeeding. That meant that I had to set my phone alarm to wake me when it was time for my son to eat. As any mom knows, waking to the sound of a phone alarm is no comparison to waking to a crying baby in the middle of the night. There were a couple of instances where I slept through my alarm and the NICU nurses would call my room asking if "I would like them to just give him a bottle?" I had strictly asked that my son not be given a bottle so this would send chills up my spine and have me racing down the hallway to the NICU. Rather than being angry and snapping at the nurses for suggesting they would give my son a bottle, I was grateful to them for calling to wake me up. They knew exactly what to say to get me out of bed and moving because they were listening to my son cry and needed me there quickly!

So, how can you cultivate a mindset to recognize God's grace at play in your life? Start by being attentive and reflective. Take note of the little blessings that come your way—the unexpected consideration in friendships, the strangers who lend a helping hand, or even the peaceful moments of clarity amid chaos. Each of these instances is a testament to God’s grace in action.

In conclusion, embracing and recognizing God's grace involves developing an intentional heart that seeks to see the goodness around us. It’s a journey of faith, trust, and openness. Remember, His love and blessings are abundant, just waiting for us to ask for them, listen, and appreciate their presence in our everyday lives.

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