When you need more grace

Nineteenth century songwriter, AnnieJohnson Flint, knew what it was like to live with loss and suffering. She lostboth parents at an early age, began experiencing symptoms of what we would call rheumatoidarthritis in her first year of teaching, and both of her adoptive parents dieda short time later. Forced to quit her job because of her illness, she waswithout a means of support. Yet, out of her great love of literature andpoetry, she began to write her own poetry and hymns by forcing a pen in herarthritic fingers and writing despite her pain.

Two national publishers took note andbegan publishing her work. And God provided for her in this way.

When life becomes overwhelming for me, Ioften find myself singing one of her hymns, “He Giveth More Grace.”  I thought maybe it was a song only known to someoneof a certain age who has been doing church music all her life, but I wasdelighted to find it in a just published hymnal our church recently purchased.For me it is a standard.

Hegiveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

Hesendeth more strength when the labor’s increase

Toadded afflictions, He addeth his mercy,

Tomultiplied trials, His multiplied peace. 

Chorus:

HisLove has no limits, His grace has no measure,

Hispower no boundary known unto men;

Forout of His infinite riches in Jesus

Hegiveth, and giveth, and giveth again. 

The second verseis just as powerful: 

Whenwe have exhausted our store of endurance,

Whenour strength has failed ere the day is half done,

Whenwe reach the end of our hoarded resources,

OurFather’s full giving is only begun. 

Taken from James4:6, “He gives more grace,” Annie Johnson Flint wrote of how when troublesincrease, God’s grace also increases. And there is no limit to that grace. Weget what we need when we need it and not before because God’s timing isperfect. 

When life feelslike things are piling on like one of those dogpiles we saw in the footballgames we watched this past Saturday, remember God’s grace is piling on as well.

Beverly Varnado is an award-winning multi-published author and screenwriter as well as a blogger and artist. Her most recent book is a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, In Search of the Painted Bunting.

Her blog, One Ringing Bell, has nearly 1,000 posts in its archives. Her work has been featured on World Radio, in the Upper Room Magazine, a dozen anthologies, and other periodicals, and online sites. One of her screenplays was a finalist for the prestigious Kairos Prize in screenwriting. More at link bio. 

 

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