Living Unlimited: Overflowing Grace

In “Living Unlimited: Overflowing Grace,” discover how living freedom in Christ begins with receiving—and releasing—God’s endless grace.

Learning to Embrace Grace

Growing up in church, I thought pastors’ families were supposed to be perfect. Always smiling, always serving, always obedient—at least in public.

Because of the environment I grew up in, I somehow came to believe that certain mistakes carried more shame than others.

Somewhere between collecting demerits for big earrings and stumbling through real-life failures, I discovered that God wasn’t keeping a tally. He wasn’t rationing forgiveness. And He wasn’t surprised by my weaknesses.

Instead, He met me there—with grace. Not once. Not twice. But over and over again.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV).

Paul didn’t receive deliverance from the thorn in his flesh—but he received something better: daily, sustaining, unlimited grace. That same promise holds true for us. God’s grace is enough for every weakness, every failure, and every day.

Learning to embrace grace is the beginning of living in freedom in Christ. It’s the moment we stop striving, stop hiding, and start walking in the truth that we are fully known, fully forgiven, and fully loved.

What Is Grace?

God’s Grace Is …

• The undeserved kindness of God given to us
• Freely offered, never earned
• Always sufficient—even in weakness
• A gift that never runs out
• A power that transforms, not just pardons

God’s Grace Is Not …

• A temporary reprieve or pause before punishment
• A polite gesture or social courtesy
• Conditional or limited by our performance
• Something we can earn, achieve, or deserve
• A license to remain unchanged
• Merely a second chance

The Nature of Lavish Grace

Imagine standing in front of Niagara Falls—one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world. Water barrels over the edge every second of every day, unstoppable and uncontained.

God’s grace is like Niagara Falls. It never slows to a trickle. It never runs dry. It doesn’t depend on our performance or fall apart because of our mistakes. It just keeps flowing—faithful, strong, and more than enough.

• God’s grace chose us before the foundation of the world.
• God’s grace drew us gently to salvation.
• God’s grace faithfully loves, forgives, and restores.

That’s not stingy; that’s lavish.

The most comforting about the abundance of God’s grace is that it is truly unlimited and unmerited. God does not stop forgiving us or stop showing us His favor when we mess up one too many times.

In His mercy, He does not treat us as our sins deserve:

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12–13 ESV).

Surrender, Don’t Strive

Many believers live exhausted because they’re trying to earn what’s already been given. They know that they’ve been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), but then they act like they must work to keep it! Paul called out that behavior:

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3 ESV).

Grace invites us to surrender our strivings and rest, not to prove ourselves. Grace invites us to rest in the finished work of the cross.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 ESV).

Question for reflection: Are you living like grace is a gift, or like it’s a wage?

Grace Transforms, Not Excuses

Sadly, many people live like unlimited grace means they have an unlimited license to keep on sinning. But the apostle Paul answers a resounding no:

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (Romans 6:15 ESV).

True grace doesn’t excuse sin—it transforms hearts. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and equips us to live a holy life (Titus 2:11–12).

• Unmerited grace invites us into freedom, not bondage.
• Living in freedom in Christ doesn’t mean living without boundaries—it means living without condemnation.
• Grace doesn’t let us stay the same—it calls us into a life that reflects our Savior.

Grace is not permission—it’s power.

Give Grace

The thing about unlimited grace is that it was never meant to be hoarded.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:12–13 (ESV) to clothe ourselves with “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another,” and forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven us.

God’s grace is not only something we receive, but also something we reflect.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone, Jesus answered:

I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:22 ESV).

That wasn’t about the math; it was about mercy.

Giving grace creates space for people to grow. We don’t excuse sin—we echo the mercy of God and trust Him to do the work of transformation.

To give grace means:

• Responding with gentleness instead of anger
• Showing patience instead of irritation
• Offering compassion instead of criticism

Imagine what could happen if the church became known for opening wide the gates of grace—a grace that heals, restores, and points people to the cross.

Grace for Every Day

Living in freedom in Christ starts with trusting in God’s never-ending supply of grace. Whatever your shortcomings—demerits, speeding tickets, broken promises, messy relationships, and everything in between—His grace is greater.

Grace has a way of undoing what shame builds.

 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 ESV).

Learning to embrace grace is the beginning of living in freedom in Christ—where God’s grace flows like Niagara Falls and overflows through us.

Lord, thank You for Your overflowing grace. Help me walk in freedom, not fear, and let Your grace flow through my life to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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This is Part 1 of a three-part “Living Unlimited” Series

Ready to keep living in freedom in Christ? Explore free video courses, Bible studies, and tools that will help you grow in identity, purpose, and grace—available now in our Spiritual Growth Hub.