I was assembling several heavy-duty steel shelving units. Over the years, I’d put together numerous pieces of Ikea furniture, a breeze compared to the task before me. The directions were complicated, and the parts didn’t want to fit together smoothly. As a middle-aged woman, I certainly didn’t have the strength to force them into place.

Desperate, I did the only thing I could do—I prayed. Whenever a piece got stuck and wouldn’t budge, no matter how much force I applied, I directed a silent prayer to God, and poof! The part slid right into place. If this had happened only once, it could have been dismissed as an accident. Twice could have been a coincidence. But this happened more times than I could count, and before long, my new shelving units were standing tall, ready to receive their load.

Why do I mention this inconsequential event? Reflecting on my experience, I saw it as an illustration of grace and how it operates in our lives—we need to ask for it constantly.

We tend to associate grace with salvation—God’s unmerited favor given to a repentant sinner. It’s that, of course, but it’s so much more. The word, which means “goodwill, loving-kindness, and favor,” applies to every aspect of the Christian life, from obtaining victory over temptation through having the strength to endure trials to ministering with power and effectiveness.

We know we depend on God for our salvation, but do we rely on Him to the same extent for our Christian walk or ministry? I admit that I was a believer for a long time before I finally understood that I needed God’s grace to live for Him just as much as I needed it to be saved. I can’t serve the Lord in my own strength, yet that didn’t keep me from trying—and failing.

The apostle Paul knew how much believers need grace, which is why he asked God to give all his letter recipients “grace and peace.” He wasn’t using a formulaic greeting. Grace and peace are two ingredients we constantly need in abundance.