Titus 2:11-12 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly,”

I need to look back at my previous writings during Lent to see if there is a pattern but I can tell you, for sure, God is working on me this Lenten season.

I am not a big fan of onions but that is the analogy that comes to mind when I think of the layers God is peeling back in my soul.  I like to go through my days praising the Lord and living each day in love as much as possible.  The struggle comes when impiety or worldly passions rear their ugly head in my soul and I am wrapped up in my own selfish desires again.  When this happens, (and it invariably does) I wonder how I can even call myself a disciple of Christ.

Paul reminds me in this letter to Titus that I am not alone in this struggle.  We are all human and therefore, we all have impiety and worldly passions in us.  I cannot renounce them on my own and it is not a one and done fix.  Through grace we are saved.  His grace trains us to renounce these things.  This training is a lifelong process and I seem to forget this so easily.

As we move through Lent and slowly closer to the cross of salvation, let each of us cling to the grace we know Jesus brought.  I lift my heart and hands in thanksgiving and praise this morning that grace has saved me!  Hallelujah and Amen!

Lord,

I know you are refining me more and more each day as I allow you to.  Give me the courage to continue so that I can, one day, be complete in your Light and Love.  Let me be a reflection of you in this world until you come again.  Amen.