When my friend burst out laughing, I knew I had said something wrong. What mistake did I make now? I grumbled to myself. I had wanted to comment on the hunting abilities of cats, but when my friend finally calmed down enough to enlighten me, I learned that I had exclaimed, "cats are the best fighter jets."

There is nothing like learning another language to humble us and send us running to God for grace. Anytime we are out of our comfort zone–a foreign language has the knack for that–we recognize that we desperately need God, which is precisely what our Lord desires. 

What is grace? We often hear the definition of "unmerited favor," but it's so much more. The Greek word has several meanings: a) a favor granted with no expectation of receiving anything in return, purely motivated by a desire to give; b) a kind act that goes far beyond what would normally be expected; c) something that provides joy or delight, and the gratitude that it causes as a result. 

We know salvation is by grace, so why do we sometimes try to serve God based on our strength, abilities, or even our "spirituality?" I can imagine God shaking his head, just waiting for us to remember that his grace is vital for a victorious Christian life and ministry. It's not by accident that we read God gives his favor to the humble. We usually ask for help only after we realize our limitations. God is then more than willing and able to pour his grace on us. 

Paul is the perfect example of a man who realized his need for divine grace. All his letters start by wishing grace on the recipients. When he begged God to remove his mysterious thorn in the flesh, he was nonetheless satisfied with God's answer, "my grace is sufficient for you." He understood it was enough to help him through.

No matter what challenges we face, God is by our side, waiting for us to run to him so he can fill us with his grace.