Speaking of God’s encouragement

Self-improvement is no more God’s plan than self-salvation.
God’s plan is not just for us to be saved by grace — it is for us to live by grace.
God’s plan is for my daily life to be given, guided, guarded, and energized by the grace of God.
To live in grace is to flow in the Spirit.

John Ortberg

♦◊♦

The idea [some Christians] have of grace is this–
that their conversion and pardon are God’s work,
but that now, in gratitude to God, it is their work to live as Christians, and follow Jesus.
There is always the thought of a work that has to be done,
and even though they pray for help, still the work is theirs.
They fail continually, and become hopeless;
and the despondency only increases the helplessness.
No, wandering one; as it was Jesus who drew you when He spake “Come,”
so it is Jesus who keeps you when He says “Abide.”
The grace to come and the grace to abide are alike from Him alone.

Andrew Murray

♦◊♦

Do not despair, thinking that you cannot change yourself after so many years.
Simply enter into the presence of Jesus as you are
and ask him to give you a fearless heart where he can be with you.
You cannot make yourself different.
Jesus came to give you a new heart, a new spirit, a new mind, and a new body.
Let him transform you by his love and so enable you to receive his affection in your whole being.

Henri Nouwen