God's Grace Through God's People

The day the war broke out, I was already fighting an internal battle over all that God had been stirring in my heart during the Parables sessions.

I had been especially looking forward to day three, eager to learn practical ways to meditate and draw more from Scripture, and to deepen my time in his presence. When the session had to be cut short, I felt a real sense of loss. Yet, I held on to the hope that from the next working day, I would find quiet moments to sit with my notes and meet with God.

Instead, I found myself in a much louder, fuller environment. I had my three boys at home around the clock - two needing help with online school, and a one-year-old little explorer determined to get into trouble the moment he was out of sight. Any plans to unplug and spend extended time in God’s Word quickly disappeared under the constant demands of caring for my family.

As tensions rose, I found myself drawn into a cycle of checking the news, trying to stay updated, which only added to my restlessness and frustration. I felt the weight of not having space or time for myself, and I became increasingly overwhelmed.

Along with that came disappointment in my own heart. I saw my impatience and selfishness more clearly than I wanted to. After all, I had just attended a session, shouldn’t I now be serving my family with grace and finding ways to pursue God regardless of my circumstances?

Instead, I found myself struggling and discouraged by the gap between what I knew and how I was responding.

But God’s grace met me - even in the brief 15 to 20 minutes that I could spare. I was enabled to come to him first, with a still and expectant heart, depending not on my own strength but on his grace for whatever the day would hold and trust his sovereignty even when the chaos within and outside me felt loud.

Before stepping into the demands of the day, I needed to draw strength from the Lord rather than rushing ahead in my own ability. He met me right where I was, in the time I had to offer in this season, because he is a good Father. His grace was enough.

It was never about the length of my time or the perfection of my effort, but about just coming to him in helpless dependence.

Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

This verse reminded me that the first movement of the day is not action, but attention and turning toward God. Before the noise, responsibilities, and pressures begin, David models a posture of dependence. He brings his voice, his needs, and his heart to God first. There is intentionality when he says, “I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

This encouraged me to begin the day by relying on God’s grace rather than my own strength, and to carry a quiet confidence that he is already at work in what lies ahead.

He also began to show me his grace in a different way by gently reminding me that I was not meant to walk through this season alone. I began to see that God extended his grace toward me not just in my personal time with him but that it was reaching me through the people he had placed around me as well.

While times of crisis often bring out fear and self-preservation resulting in panic, withdrawing, and limiting interactions - I experienced something very different.

There was always someone reaching out, checking in, praying, and standing with me.

Sisters in Christ came alongside me, even helping with the children’s online school, showing me that this too was God’s grace in action. I was reminded that I didn’t have to carry everything alone or keep up a strong front.

I could be vulnerable, ask for help, and receive it with humility, trusting that God often meets us through the hands and hearts of his people.

I received phone calls and texts to encourage me. I was reminded to redeem my time with God's word in the small pockets of my day, to meditate on his Word without feeling defeated if I couldn’t set aside long, uninterrupted stretches of time. I was also reminded to redeem time that was otherwise spent on turning to social media or constant news updates by instead filling my mind with Scripture and Christ-centred resources that truly nourished my soul rather than leaving me overwhelmed. Without this constant encouragement from the community, I don’t think I would have been able to step out of my spiral of focusing on tasks instead of depending on God.

As I look back, I realize that this season has greatly reshaped my understanding of grace. God didn’t just exhort me in my quiet moments with him, but he also encouraged and sustained me through the prayers and presence of a community that cared.

If there’s one encouragement I could share, it’s this - don’t walk through life’s seasons alone. God allows us to taste grace through his people.

The church community is one of his greatest gifts to us. It is God’s channel of grace to pray for us when we’re weak, to offer support when we’re overwhelmed, and to gently draw us back when we start to go astray.

So church, be open, be vulnerable, stay connected and reach out. You may find that in the very place you feel the weakest; God is already providing strength and grace through his people.