James 4:6 | More Grace

James 4:6 NIV says, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

I love James because the words are practical and bold. James was not beating around the bush when he made his argument in his letter. There is a sense of urgency and clarity that stands out to me. So when he writes that God gives more grace and shows favor to the humble, it is more than nice words. James is for real.

What gets in the way of grace? Pride.

Pride doesn’t always look like being arrogant or smug. In our spiritual journey, pride most often looks like resistance. Resisting God’s help. Trying to do things on our own. Trying to lead people to follow our ideas. Trying to be self-righteous.

God is adamantly against this kind of behavior because it goes against the very foundation of his abiding relationship with his people. Living in pride and resisting God is outrageous when considering how wise, powerful, and glorious the Lord is. This is why scripture says the fear of the Lord is clean.

I want to focus on the first part of this verse. “He gives us more grace.”

I think pride is built on the lie that God won’t help us, so we have to help ourselves. It gets messy when we actually succeed to some degree in fixing our problems. Of course, our fixes are always just bandaids and duct tape. We need Jesus if we want to be totally restored.

I’m thankful for this message of hope today. God has promised to give us more grace. Most likely, if you are going to face the challenges and trials of today, you will need more grace than you had yesterday. God will supply it.

Our faith gets simple when we see the favor God puts on the humble. It looks like telling God good morning every day, asking him for help, and relying on his grace. God can change the world with a church that lives like this. You might call it childlike faith.

Do you want grace? God is giving more today. Set aside self-sufficiency and pride. Rest in him.

• Sign up for Abiding Daily text messages.

  Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.

• Order a copy of Abiding Daily: Volume One – Our first devotional book.

  Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.