1 Corinthians 15:9-10
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul was the least likely person to be an apostle.  Before his conversion, he would have gladly wiped Christianity off the face of the earth.  So what was it that made such a difference and effected such a transformation in him?  Nothing other than the grace of God.  So can’t we see, then, the power of that same grace to work in our own hearts and lives?  Can’t we become who God wants us to be by that same grace of God that made a chief persecutor of Christians into a chief proclaimer of the gospel?

What position has God appointed us to?  What role has He asked us to take on?  Nothing about us made us worthy for it, and nothing within us could enable us in it.  But the grace of God can do its work.  The power of God can work through us.  The love of Christ can constrain us.  And we can be so much more than we ever thought we could be and would yet be unable to be without God’s grace moving in our lives.

God had once told Paul that His grace was sufficient for him.  And though he suffered many things, though he endured harsh trials, and though he even found himself locked away in prison, surely he found that to be true.  God’s grace was sufficient.  And it is enough for us, no matter what we have to endure in our lives and our service to God.  It may be that our appreciation of that grace, our recognition of who we were without that grace, or even that grace that bears us up through those trials would cause us to labor more abundantly for our Lord.

Paul had once used all of his energy opposing God, and when his life got turned around, he spent all his energy serving God.  And look at all that he was able to accomplish.  Look at all the work that was done for God’s glory and God’s church and God’s Word to spread all over the world.  Look how many lives Paul was able to touch personally and even down to us today through his writings in Scripture.  So can’t we lay aside all that we used to be and be spent for Jesus?  Can’t we allow that amazing grace to work through us in amazing ways?