At the risk of being overly simplistic, grace is a relationship with God. Because God IS love, He takes the initiative. "For God so loved the world He gave (Himself in the Person of Christ)..."; not loved, but "SO loved". Jesus reconciled us to God in our union with Him on the Cross (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:19). It was there that we came into relationship with Him. This is grace, and the implications of grace are far-reaching.

Grace is a gift. Eph. 2:8 says "For it is by grace that you are saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God". Even faith itself comes to us as a gift. And because grace is a gift, it can never be earned, or strived for, on the basis of our own self-effort. Gifts can only be received, unless refused.

Grace is unmerited or undeserved favor with God, a very commonly understood definition given to grace. "... much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift that comes through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound (and overflow) to and for (the benefit) of many" (Rom 5:15 Amp).

Grace is a necessary component to our reigning in life, again through the one Man Jesus Christ, as referenced in Rom. 5:17...

Our living life to the full, and in overcoming difficulties in life, is through the person of Jesus Christ and His grace.

This next aspect of grace is something less talked about. Paul brings us to this understanding of knowing that suffering has a purpose in 2 Cor. 12:10. He says in this verse "... for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased (I take pleasure) in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities, and distresses; for when I am weak, then am I strong". This is a pretty good description of weakness, wouldn't you agree? Sounds a bit sadistic to "take pleasure" in these things, doesn't it? A similar passage would be what James says, to "count it all joy (when all kinds of circumstantial chaos hit you like a sink of dirty dishes"- James 1:2, paraphrased from a Scottish evangelist I heard years ago).

In 2 Cor 12:9, we see grace described in terms of weakness. We are not told what this weakness is of Paul's. He goes on to describe this thing as "a thorn in the flesh" (something in him, but not him). He doesn't make it an entitlement exclaiming "well, that's just the way I am", but clearly wants rid of it. Verse 8 makes reference that it was to keep Paul from being excessively exalted, to counter a pride issue over something extraordinarily revealed to him in a glimpse of paradise. God's response to Paul's request is "My grace is sufficient (is enough) for you", and then He describes what this grace is...

"For My strength is made perfect in your weakness". In other words, the divine enablement, empowerment, ability and strength of God are shown to be evident in place of our weakness. "Therefore, I (Paul) will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses (plural)". It seems Paul at this point goes beyond even this single thorn to recognize that all of his hardships (described in verse 10) were God's outpouring of grace.

On many occasions, I've had the pleasure of seeing counselees (and admittedly myself) come to a place of accepting completely their circumstances of difficulty. Initially, like Paul, we want rid of them- for the pain to go away. Then we come to see purpose in our suffering, and the grace and love of God to encounter us in such a way. C.S. Lewis says: "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world". He takes the responsibility to get our attention (whatever it takes), and desires our complete dependency on Him.

I write about this as I experience a time of weakness, which in part is unexplainable. I discover in the midst of these times that grace is present. We are never separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:35-39), even in our times of weakness and hardship, and even with all our apparent flaws and imperfections, and the things that we in a heartbeat are ready to change, or make go away. We are always in His perfect care- His grace- regardless of circumstances.