We are living in difficult days, and things are not getting any easier. At every turn, you hear of someone going through a tragedy or a difficulty. There’s hardly a reasonable explanation for it anymore, except that we live in an evil world.
The good news is that we have a Savior that has overcome the world (John 16:33). I believe God has called us to be overcomers and that we are to continue to “occupy” until He comes (Luke 19:13). The word occupy is a military term that means to take or hold possession or control of. God hasn’t just called us to hold our ground. He’s called us to take more ground.
The only problem is we’re going to have to fight for it. Whether you realize it or not, this is a biblical concept. Even though the Israelites had been given the Promised Land, they still had to fight for it. God expects nothing less from us today. God has promises for you, but you’re going to have to fight for them.
We live in a war zone between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light. The battle has already been won, but the enemy is hell-bent on taking as many people down with him as possible. The good news is that the light has overcome the darkness. I’ve read the end of the book, and we win!
The only way to win is to have grit and grace. According to Webster’s dictionary, grit is to have mental toughness and courage. It also means to have firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger. While you may not find the word grit in the Bible, you will find the word persevere. To persevere means “to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult.”
One of the most defining character traits of most biblical characters was their ability to persevere under challenging circumstances. Abraham waited 25 years for a son, Noah lived in an ark for over a year, Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in prison, David spent his teenage years running for his life, and I could go on, but you get the point.
To persevere through something is to refuse to give up during your challenge. One of my life verses is Galatians 6:9, and it says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The promise from this verse is that if we do not give up, then there’s a harvest in store for us.
The other bookend we need is grace. It’s been said that grace is the unmerited favor of God. It’s also been said that grace is power for living. Scripture says:
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT, Jesus says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
God’s grace in your life gives you the ability to do what you cannot do on your own.
We need grit in our lives to help us to persevere, and we need the grace of God to help us when we are weak. This sounds like a dichotomy of sorts, but it’s like saying, “When you do your part, God will do his part.”
If you’re struggling today, you’re in good company! Jesus understands, and he will give you the grace you need.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey of walking in grit and grace. If so, I would encourage you to sign up to receive daily devotionals and weekly articles to inspire your faith. Also, if you know someone who would benefit from this site, then I would greatly appreciate it if you would take a moment and text or email this link to 3-4 of your friends and family.
Stay tuned for more upcoming articles and in the meantime, grow in grit and grace!
