A Lens Change to Start the New Year

John 1:16 (NRSV)
¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

As we begin the new year most of us do what we have done at the beginning of each new year. We look to the coming year with hope and expectations of better things to come. It usually doesn’t take long, however, to see those hopes fade, if not disappear completely, as the realities we face day-to-day begin to wear on us.

A well-known minister of the gospel suggests that it is not the realities that we see which cause our retreat from hope; he suggests the real culprit is the lens through which we look that distorts our view.   What is the correct lens for a believer? It is the lens of GRACE.

Our starting point for changing our lens is understanding what GRACE is. This minister of gospel uses the following definition for GRACE: “It is God’s empowering Presence that enables us to become what He already sees.” This definition gives us an edge in changing our lens; namely, that GRACE has everything to do with what God does, and nothing to do with what we do (except that we receive what He has freely given).

We can also say that GRACE is God’s supply for our lives. His empowering Presence is His supply; it gives us access to all that He is, all that He has, and all that He does. A GRACE Day is one where we recognize whatever the day brings, the Lord’s provision is already there for us to partake of.

 Another definition of GRACE is, “sweatless effort.”  Once again, we don’t have to work to receive GRACE. It is God’s gift to us. Sweatless effort however should not be confused with “no effort.” A GRACE Day is one in which we are led by Holy Spirit, who is referred to as the “Spirit of GRACE” in Hebrews 10:29. Sweatless effort simply means we do not try to conjure up a game plan for the day; we spend time with the Lord asking for His direction for our day.

Putting the three definitions together we can say that a GRACE Day is one in which we experience God’s Presence, which empowers us, by the leading of Holy Spirit, to receive His supply without our effort (trying to make something happen).

The minister who shared this message ended by saying when our lens changes, “There will be no more good days or bad days, only days of GRACE; GRACE to enjoy the good things of the day before us or, GRACE to endure the challenges that may face us in the day ahead.”

It is a lens change that has the potential to totally change the dynamics of this new year!

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