The Uncommon Goodness of God
Photo by bady abbas on Unsplash
Do you have those seasons where God won't let you stop encountering a particular concept or truth? I am in a season where God continues to bring the wonderful theological concept of common grace to my mind. Theologian Wayne Grudem defines common grace as "the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation." Common grace is different from saving grace. Saving grace is the grace of God that brings people to salvation through faith in Jesus. Common grace is God's goodness displayed to all people, regardless of their state of salvation.
God's common grace surrounds us. We live under its blanket. His common grace permeates the daily reality of both the God-lover and the God-denier.
The life-sustaining air we breathe is God's common grace.
The laughter of our children is God's common grace.
The beauty of a starlit sky, a stunning sunset, or an azalea in bloom is God's common grace.
The exhilaration I feel when I finish a challenging workout? Common grace.
The taste of that perfectly ripe watermelon on a hot summer day? Common grace.
The aspect of common grace that most profoundly affects me is that God is pouring out His goodness on His children and enemies alike. Saving grace is a particularly meaningful gift from God, one that, as Believers, we are accustomed to being thankful for. But I believe we are often guilty of neglecting to properly notice and respond to the daily overflowing of God's wholeness on all those who are created in His image.
My father-in-law lost his battle with cancer a few years ago. Like so many before him, he fought the ravages of the disease on his body and mind with such strength. Many days near the end of his life, he would be incapacitated by pain and the resulting treatment to manage it. But there were moments of breakthrough, instances where he was present mentally and spiritually. In so many of these times, what I recall with great fondness was him reveling in God's common grace: enjoying a slice of chocolate cake, watching the unique beauty of the hummingbirds outside his window, or marinating in the laughter of his grandchildren. With time growing small, this faithful man was eternally thankful for God's saving grace but was mindful of God's common grace. His posture of gratitude is a profound lesson for me.
Maybe the main reason I love the concept of common grace so much and keep reflecting on it year after year is how easy it is to encounter it and to return gratitude to God as a result. It is not difficult to feel the wind on my face while walking on the beach with my son and then offer a silent prayer of thanks to God. When this pattern of "recognition then praise" becomes a habit, we will discover that we have become grateful people living a life of gratitude to God for the goodness God very literally surrounds us with.
Part of the joy of each day is a contest with yourself to see how many moments you encounter God's common grace. The good news? No matter how often you experience it, the well of God's goodness will never dry.