Devos For March 31st "Have you let God's grace be in vain?" (By Jenny Rushing)

Scpriture: 1 Corintihians 15:10
     "But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain...."

This scripture is actually from yesterday's reading, but it spoke so much to my heart that I wanted to share it today.
I think that this one statement from Paul gives such a great understanding of God's grace. The simpliest way I can explain grace is "undeserved goodness." All our talents, abilities, and callings are a direct result of God's grace on us. Paul was definitely humble, as can be seen by his statements in verses 8-9. Paul knew who he was and all the authority that came with that. He just didn't feel like he deserved it after the life that he had lived prior to him coming to know Christ, which he didn't. It was a gift.
God's grace is consistent towards everyone. Paul acknowledged God's grace as the source of everything he had and was, and he allowed God's grace to have its full effect in his life through seeking God more than others around him.
How often do we sit back and not do what God is asking us to do? Do we not surrender what God wants us to in our lives? Do we not go and talk to the person on the street or the kid sitting next to us in class that He is asking us to? Is the grace that God has shown us in vain because we aren't living the lives we know we are called to live? Its not enough for us to just read our Bibles or to just be respectful of our parents or to just not lie. That's not enough. We are called to so much more and are capable of so much more and its only by the grace of God. Let's not let it be in vain.

Jesus, I pray that you would allow us to walk more fully in what you have called us to. I ask that you would help us to understand that nothing we have is because of ourselves, but it is by your grace and goodness in our lives. Help us to walk more closely with you so that the work that you have begun in our lives is not in vain.