THE LENS OF GRACE

Life is precious.

Each day that God gives us on this earth is a beautiful blessing. Through life, we have the amazing opportunity to serve Him–to show love to others and to glorify Him, our Creator.

I wonder how many fail to treat life like the gift that it is.

How many spend their lives in discontentment–consumed by things that can’t be changed.

How many waste their time on this earth simply waiting, even wishing, for it to run out?

REALISM VERSUS REALITY

I’m embarrassed to confess that I’m one of those who takes life for granted. Too often, I view my existence as an inconvenience to be tolerated, rather than a gift to be appreciated.

My natural, unchecked mind dwells on the negative aspects of life. I frequently contemplate personal failures and life’s injustices. It’s as if I’m on a constant mission to find disappointment.

I call myself a realist. Maybe part of me hopes that the label will justify my quest for disillusionment. Perhaps you’ve found yourself doing the same.

But what is reality?  

We might define reality by examining ourselves, combining what we know of our internal self and external circumstances. But such an evaluation is superficial and often viewed through the clouded lens of our natural ideology.

We frequently forget or fail to recognize that our natural, unaided insight is not 20/20. Our thoughts, intentions, and beliefs are jaded. Our life experiences and selfish motivations distort the deeper truths of our reality.

In order to see life clearly, we need a perspective that has been renewed by Truth (click to tweet). We need a new lens through which to view life. We need the lens of God’s grace.

from darkness to light

When we choose to place our faith in the Lord and believe in the power of His sacrifice, He bestows His saving grace upon us.

Upon salvation, we receive forgiveness for all of our past sins and freedom from the guilt and shame we once carried.

When the Lord looks at us after salvation, He doesn’t see our past failures. He sees a redeemed soul who has been reconciled to Him, an individual covered by grace and cleansed by the blood of His son.

After salvation, the Lord’s perspective of us is changed forever. He desires for us to adopt this new perspective as well. But God knows how difficult it can be for us to change our perspective, so He gives us a gift to help us along the way.

purpose and application

I call this gift the lens of grace, because it acts as a corrective lens for spiritual sight. When we put on the lens of grace, we gain a renewed perspective–one that is untainted by the confusion of sin, skepticism, stress, and sorrow.

When we apply the lens of grace, the Lord helps us to see ourselves and others the way that He sees us. As His love, grace, and mercy illuminate the true meaning of life, we will discover the limitations of our natural understanding and reasoning.

Unfortunately, this gift, though wonderful and free, is often forgotten and rejected by believers.

Though only God Himself can cover us with grace itself, the lens of His grace that He gives is a gift that we must choose to use.

Just as we can apply and remove corrective lenses for out natural eyesight, we can apply and remove the lens of grace for our spiritual insight.

It takes a conscious decision to live in the fullness of the grace we’ve been given. Each day, we must choose to put off the clouded lens of our natural understanding and put on the lens of God’s grace.

So let’s do it.

Let’s allow the Lord help us to see life through the lens of grace. When we consider life through His perspective, the blinders of our negativity fall away, and we will be set free to see life’s beauty and blessings all around.