Standing on the Sure Ground of Grace

Trusting grace is like waiting for coffee, you rest in confidence because the process is already in motion.

Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash

God’s promises are meant to be embraced with unwavering assurance. He does not want us to live with anxious uncertainty about whether He will do what He has said. According to Romans 4:16, the certainty of His promises comes from the relationship between grace and faith. His promises are sure because they rest on His grace, and grace is accessed by faith, not effort or merit.

Today’s devotional from Bob Hoekstra reminds us that if we attempt to ground God’s promises in our performance, or in the actions of others, we’ll never find the steady confidence God intends. Only grace makes a promise truly sure. That is why God's promises are tied to grace, and grace only flows where faith is present. Faith trusts in God alone. Any reliance on self-effort, personal wisdom, or human strength disrupts the harmony of grace.

Abraham and Sarah serve as a sobering reminder. Rather than resting in God’s grace, they tried to bring about God's promise through their own idea, involving Hagar. This misstep shows what happens when we shift from trusting to striving. It isn’t just ineffective. It clashes with grace altogether.

Ultimately, the gospel rests on this truth. Jesus, the promised Savior, fulfilled every condition on our behalf. If we add performance to the equation, we imply His death wasn’t enough. But we know it was. Grace assures us that the promises of God are ours in Him, not because of what we do, but because of what He has done.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

My child, you are not standing on shaky ground. You are standing on grace. My promises are not uncertain. They are yes and amen in Jesus. I did not base them on your success or consistency. I based them on My own goodness, and I sealed them in the blood of My Son.

Faith is your way into grace. Not the kind of faith that grits its teeth, but the kind that opens its hands. Faith says yes to what I have already finished. Faith releases your grasp on control and leans on My everlasting arms. Let your trust be simple. Let it be childlike.

When you find yourself striving, pause. I did not call you to make My promises come true. I called you to walk in them, to enjoy them, to receive them like rain on dry ground. Just as Abraham learned to wait on Me, so you can rest in My timing. My grace is sufficient. My word is sure. And My Spirit in you will keep pointing you back to Jesus, where all My promises find their home.

Scripture References: Romans 4:16, Galatians 2:21, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Ephesians 2:8–9, Genesis 16:1–5, Romans 11:6, John 1:17, Hebrews 6:17–19, Psalm 18:30, Romans 5:1–2

Real-Life Analogy

Picture yourself sitting at a kitchen table waiting for coffee to brew. You don’t pace the room or take the machine apart to make sure it’s working. You trust that the design is faithful, and in time, it will deliver what was promised.

That’s how grace works. You rest, not because you’re lazy, but because you’re confident. The process is already in motion. You’re not trying to manufacture a result. You’re simply waiting with a trusting heart.

Today, let that picture shape your mindset. If anxiety rises, say to the Lord, “I trust You to fulfill every promise by grace, not by my effort. Live Your life through me in this moment, as one who rests in what You’ve already done.” Whether it’s in a conversation, a deadline, or a moment of weakness, trust that He is faithful to deliver what He has promised.

Prayer of Confidence

Lord, I praise You that Your promises are anchored in grace. I rest in the truth that nothing You have said depends on my ability to make it happen. Thank You that in Jesus, every promise has already found its yes. I receive what You’ve spoken with the assurance that it is already mine in Him.

I don’t need to add to Your work. I don’t need to prop up Your faithfulness. I simply believe You. I trust You. And I yield to Your Spirit, who reminds me daily that all is secure because of grace. What a joy to live in this certainty. What a relief to walk by faith.