# 6 A New You 4 The New Year: God’s Grace in the Journey of Transformation

Introduction: Do we have any perfectionists in the house? What is it like to live with a perfectionist? Don’t answer that! I want to share a story with you called:

The Potters Touch

Maria had always been a perfectionist. She built her life on achievements, each success a brick in the fortress she thought would keep her safe. But deep inside, she carried an ache—a longing she couldn’t define, a void she couldn’t fill.

Her world began to crumble when her carefully planned career fell apart. A sudden layoff left her adrift, and the friendships she thought were strong vanished with the titles she no longer held. For the first time in years, Maria sat in silence, the emptiness around her reflecting the emptiness within.

One evening, as she wandered the streets of her neighborhood, she passed by a small church. Its doors were open, and faint music spilled out—a hymn she remembered from her childhood. Drawn in by the melody, she stepped inside and sat in the back pew, unnoticed.

The pastor spoke about the potter and the clay. "We are the clay," he said, "and God, the potter, shapes us in His hands. Sometimes, He breaks us to remake us, not because He’s cruel, but because He loves us enough to create something better."

Maria felt tears streaming down her face. She had spent her life trying to be perfect, only to end up broken. The idea that someone could take her shattered pieces and make them whole again stirred something deep within her.

Over the following weeks, Maria began attending the church regularly. She joined a Bible study and learned about God’s grace—how it wasn’t something she could earn through effort but a gift freely given. Slowly, she started to release the weight of her past mistakes and the relentless pressure to prove herself.

One Sunday, Maria knelt at the altar and prayed a simple prayer: "Lord, take my brokenness. Shape me into who You want me to be."

The transformation wasn’t instant, but it was profound. Maria found herself extending grace to others as she experienced it herself. She volunteered at a shelter, offering kindness to those society had overlooked. She forgave people she once resented and began rebuilding relationships with humility and love.

As the years passed, Maria became a reflection of Christ’s love. Her joy was no longer tied to her accomplishments but to her identity as a child of God. People often asked her how she had changed so much, and she would smile and say, "It’s not me. It’s the Potter’s touch."

Maria’s journey wasn’t perfect, but it was a testament to God’s transformative grace. In surrendering her life to Him, she found purpose, peace, and the beauty of becoming more like Jesus.

  How can we, like Maria experience God’s Transformative Grace? Well, like Maria we must come to the end of ourselves and trust fully in God’s GRACE. I suggest that we take the following steps – each step bringing us closer and closer to a transformed life. Here are the steps:

1.  Grow up in Jesus Christ – Philippians 1:6

  Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

   Are there any snowboarders in the house? Snowboarding was a difficult challenge for me. I had lots and lots of falls. I once fell without a helmet on and saw lots of stars as I lay there on my back in the snow recovering. I found snowboarding a painful experience. Not everyone sees it that way. Many of you are excellent snowboarders. However, for me, I never felt that I was in control of the board. I decided that having two boards under me was better than one, so I went back to skiing. My point is quite simple – anything we do “NEW” takes time to learn, and some things in life have quite a learning curve.

   This is true in many areas of life. Consider the area of music:

   Piano players are told, “Practice makes perfect”, and so they practice day in and day out.

   And what about drummers? Have you ever known a family whose child decided to learn to drum? It doesn’t take long before the child ends up out in the garage. You can only take so much noise!

   What about computer software or even computer programming? Learning a computer program or learning to code software programs takes time. Skill is learned! It takes hours to become proficient, and if you stick with it you will pick up how to use a computer program, and if you learn the basics of coding, you just might write your own award-winning software or smartphone app.

   Our walk with Jesus Christ takes the same path – there are no overnight methods to arrive. Walking with Jesus Christ takes a decision, and it takes dedication, along with devotion. We walk with Christ daily and throughout our whole life.

  In Colossians 3:10 we read,

   And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. (underline the word, “being”).

   The point that I am seeking to drive home is that life is all about GROWTH. We are all in various learning stages. But the biggest challenge for most of us is to understand that GROWTH never has an endpoint. In life, there is always something more we can learn.

   So then,

Accept that spiritual growth is a journey, not an instant transformation.

      Remember our theme verse reminds us,

   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Celebrate small victories along the way and trust God to lead you step by step. Never underestimate the small victories you have in your life. For many it is momentous:

-      Praying for the first time.

-      Tithing for the first time.

-      Reading through an entire book of the Bible.

-      Forgiving someone who hurt you.

-      Volunteering in a ministry.

-      Quitting smoking.

    Now, before we move on, I want to share an acronym with you. The word is GROWTH. What does each of the letters mean? They mean:

G – Go to God in Prayer – Psalm 5:1

R – Read the Bible Regularly – Revelation 1:3

O – Obey God’s Commands – Acts 5:32

W – Witness to Others – Matthew 28:19-20

T – Trust the Lord – Proverbs 3:5

H – Holy Spirit depended – Romans 8

   Do you have a desire to GROW? I hope you do!

   Martin Luther penned, “This life, therefore, is not righteousness but growth in righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it."

2.  Walk daily in God’s Grace – Ephesians 2:8-9

    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

   Do you recall when your child took their first step? Watching children learn to walk is so much fun. They stumble and fall, but as parents we are always there, encouraging and steadying them. God’s grace operates the same way—supporting us in our weaknesses and lifting us when we stumble. We should daily thank God that salvation is not merit-based – it is GRACE-based. Hallelujah!

   In life, we all stumble and fall (because we live in a fallen world – Romans 8). Who hasn’t at some point in their life not tripped and fallen? We all have.

   Have you noticed that when the President of the United States falls going up or down the stairs of Air Force One it makes national news? It’s not just on one news channel; no, it makes every news channel and even late-night talk shows. Some people poke fun at the President falling. I did some reading and discovered that since 1962 when Airforce One was introduced the following Presidents have taken a fall. President Joe Biden fell three times during his various trips. In 2015 Barrack Obama had a misstep but caught himself. In 2018 Donald Trump lost his balance. The most ruthlessly scorned incident was on a rainy day in 1975 when President Gerald Ford tumbled down the last few steps of Airforce One. His fall became a running joke on Saturday Night Live, where Chevy Chase “misstepped” in for the Commander in Chief.

   As believers when someone falls do we laugh and clap, or do we stretch out our hand to lift them and support them? I hope we stretch out our hand.    Have you ever heard the words, “I have fallen, and I have no one to help me up.”

   What should we do when we fall?

When we fall short (Romans 3:23), resist the urge to give up. Instead, lean on God’s grace to keep moving forward. Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

   Years ago, the Pastor of the Moody Memorial Church, Erwin Lutzer wrote a book with the following title: “Failure, the Backdoor to Success.”

   In the book he writes, “This book is written for those who believe they are failures and for those who falsely believe they aren’t. It is a message of hope for those who are filled with regret; it is a message designed to disturb those who mistakenly feel they have “made it” in life. The pages that follow are a modest attempt to rid us of worldly notions of success and humbly return us to God’s perspective.”

Regularly remind yourself that God’s grace is greater than your failures. Praise God that God’s grace is not rescinded (taken away) just because I fail.

   In the great Hymn, Grace Greater Than All Our Sin, the chorus reads,

Grace, grace, God's grace Grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace, grace, God's grace Grace that is greater than all our sin

   Here is the truth about our God – He never gives up on us!

  In Psalm 145:18-19 we read,

   The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.

   You might also write down, Psalm 34:17-18

   Dr. David Jeremiah wrote, "Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose instead of serving shame."

3. Avoid the Trap of Perfectionism – Romans 3:23-24

   23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

    Scripture also teaches,

   If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9).

   Imagine trying to build a sandcastle during high tide—the waves will always disrupt your work. I have tried that, and it doesn’t work out very well. The waves continued to flatten my sandcastles. Listen to me, trying to achieve perfection in our spiritual walk is just as futile without God's grace.

  How can we live this truth out in our daily lives?

Release the pressure to "have it all together." Trust that God is more interested in your heart than your perfection.

   It has been said that it is better to try and fail than to never try and never know if you would have succeeded. And when you fail look to God, and when you succeed look to God. He is ever present under both conditions.

Focus on faithfulness over flawlessness, knowing that God’s grace fills the gaps.

   Nowhere in the Bible do I read that God wants us flawless. I do read that God wants us to be faithful, fruitful, and mature. Faithful, fruitful, and mature people walk in God’s grace. Where are you walking today?

   Warren Wiersbe wrote, "God doesn’t demand perfection; He desires progress in His grace."

4. Run to win the prize – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

    24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

    I mentioned to you last Sunday that I listen to a podcast entitled: On the Run with Beards and Dun. I met Mike Dunlap when Debbie and I served with Village Mission in Nemo, South Dakota. He was a marathon runner and was sponsored by Brooks. Mike has a lifelong friend by the name of Dick Beardsley and the two of them launched a runner’s podcast. Dick Beardsley placed second (2:08:53) on the heels of Alberto Salazar (2:08:51) in the 1982 Boston Marathon, breaking the Boston Marathon course record and the American record.  I have greatly enjoyed listening to these two guys talk about running.

   What I know about marathon runners is that they don’t sprint the entire race—they pace themselves and push through when it gets hard. Our spiritual walk is like a marathon; perseverance matters more than speed. And even in the story of the Turtle and the Hare, it was perseverance that won the race that day, and not speed!

   The great Apostle Paul understood this, and this is why he could write in the last days of his life,

   6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6–8)

   What steps can we take? Two things…

Set spiritual goals and pursue them with persistence, even when progress feels slow. Don’t give up.

Trust that God will provide strength for the journey as you continue pressing forward. God is on your side.

  Zig Ziglar wrote, "Success doesn’t happen in a day—it happens daily. Keep moving forward."

5. Rest in God’s Unchanging Love – Lamentations 3:22-23

   Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

   Who doesn’t enjoy a new day? It brings a fresh sunrise, a reminder that God’s mercy and grace are always available – NEW every day! Even when yesterday was hard, today offers a new beginning.

   How can we live this truth out?

Start each day by claiming God’s mercies and embracing His love for you.

  Have you heard that today is the first day of the rest of your life? It’s true. Yesterday was tough but today is a NEW DAY. Start fresh every morning.

Encourage others by sharing how God’s grace has carried you through challenges.

   In 2 Corinthians 1:3, we read,

   Who comforts us in all of our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

   Let others know how God has taken care of you in your times of need. Share His faithfulness with others around you.

   Charles Spurgeon penned, "We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand. Rest in His grace, for it is eternal."

Conclusion: As we reflect on today’s message, let’s remember the key steps that lead us toward experiencing God’s transformative grace:

1.  Grow up in Jesus Christ – Embrace the journey of spiritual growth, celebrating small victories along the way as God shapes you into His image.

2.  Walk daily in God’s grace – Trust in His unearned favor, allowing His grace to sustain you when you stumble and strengthen you to move forward.

3.  Avoid the trap of perfectionism – Release the pressure to be flawless, and instead, focus on faithfulness, knowing that God’s grace fills the gaps.

4.  Run to win the prize – Set spiritual goals, persevere through challenges, and trust God to provide the strength needed to finish the race well.

5.  Rest in God’s unchanging love – Begin each day by embracing His mercies, which are new every morning, and encourage others with the hope you’ve found in Him.

   These steps remind us that transformation is not about our effort but about surrendering to God’s work in our lives. Wherever you are on this journey, trust that the Potter is shaping you into a masterpiece. Keep growing, keep walking, keep trusting, and rest in the truth that His grace is sufficient for you.

   Let’s leave here committed to living out these truths, allowing God to work in and through us for His glory.

Let’s pray.