Grace is God’s ability ~ Effort is Man’s ability.
Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit helping you do with ease what you could never do on your own, with any amount of struggle and effort. Quit trying to change yourself, and start leaning on the Holy Spirit to change you!
One is Work (effort), the other is Rest (grace)! Grace is knowing your limitations, and trusting God to do what you cannot. Grace means, I can’t but I know who can… God can! Grace is a Gift. It is God doing something for you, which you could never do yourself.
Like a monkey trying to lay an egg, it just isn’t going to happen, no matter how much you want it or how long you sit there! Like the man who sat by the Pool of Bethesda for 38 years waiting on someone to put him in the water so he could be healed, no amount of trying or crying on your part will make a difference. The only thing that will make a difference and change our lives is when Jesus passes by us. He can save the day and totally change our lives.
Grace is God doing for you what you cannot. Deceitfulness is thinking we can do anything without God’s help. That is our problem. We cannot save ourselves, heal ourselves, forgive our sins, pardon our debt, get out of a bind, make a way where there is no way, enlighten our own understanding, or even breathe if it wasn’t for God. Hello?
Apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:5). When will we get that? Why even try? Just Ask for His help and He will give it (Matthew 7:7). He said he would. As a matter of fact, He wants us to need him. He wants to assist us and help us. He wants to be part of our lives. When you are Superman, what do you do? What is your job? Saving and rescuing people. If there are no people to rescue then you are out of a job. Jesus is our hero and it is His job to rescue us, helping us in our weakness. He is looking for something to do. Let him help you. He loves you!