By the Grace of God, I Am What I Am
1 Corinthians 15:10
There's something about a sunrise that speaks of fresh mercy. The night fades, the light spills over the horizon, and a new day begins. Unearned, undeserved, yet freely given. It's grace in color.
Paul captures this truth so well in 1 Corinthians 15:10-
“By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; on the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
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Grace First, Always
Grace is God’s unearned, undeserved favor toward us. It’s the starting point for everything. Paul didn’t work to earn God’s grace — grace came first.
But that grace didn’t leave him idle. It reshaped his heart, redirected his focus, and gave him a brand new mission. The work that followed was the fruit of grace, not the cause of it.
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Grace Fuels Our Work
Paul says he worked hard, but quickly adds, “yet not I.” That’s the key.
The strength, endurance, and opportunities all came from God’s favor, not from Paul’s own reserves.
It’s the same for us:
• Grace calls us.
• Grace equips us.
• Grace sustains us.
Whether we’re raising children and managing our home, building a business, caring for someone in need, or simply loving our neighbor well — if it’s kingdom work, it’s grace that makes it possible.
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No Pressure to Prove Yourself
When we remember that grace is the power source, the pressure lifts.
We’re not trying to impress God or earn His approval. We already have His favor in Christ. The work we do is simply an overflow of gratitude and love — a response to the grace we’ve received.
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A Simple Prayer
Lord, thank You for the grace that saved me and the grace that keeps me. Let everything I do today — the big, the small, and the in-between — flow from Your strength, not mine. And let it be for Your glory.
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Grace doesn’t remove the work.
It transforms it — from a heavy burden into a joyful offering.
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