By the Grace of God

Paul was a witness of Jesus Christ. He never flinched when asked to share his story, even to antagonistic audiences. But he was also humble about it. He didn’t claim credit for his divine calling.

He said he was “as one born out of due time,” a person who came late to a testimony of Jesus Christ. He said he was “the least of the apostles” and “not meet to be called an apostle” because he had earlier persecuted church members. (See 1 Corinthians 15:8-9.) He gave God credit for any good things he had accomplished or become:

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10

Servants of God throughout time have followed this pattern. For example:

• King Benjamin said to his people, “My whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you” (Mosiah 2:30).
• Alma told his son Helaman that after his conversion, he “labored without ceasing” to “bring souls unto repentance.” And he added, “I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind….yea, God has delivered me…and he will still deliver me” (Alma 36:24, 27).
• Mormon began a sermon by saying, “It is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time” (Moroni 7:2).

At the very end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni urges us to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him.” He promises us, “If ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God…that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:32-33). We are made perfect by the grace of God. We are made holy by the grace of God. We must not deny nor forget the power by which we are saved.

Today, I will acknowledge God’s grace in my life. I will be grateful for the many ways he has supported me, delivered me, and sanctified me. I will remember that He gives me gifts not because of my own worthiness but because of His love for me as one of His children.