We base our society on increasing sales, profits, and numbers in this temporal existence. We reason that such increases generally indicate success, but Paul had a different concept of increases. For Paul, the renewal of the inner person leads “to an increase of grace to more and more people.” This renewal is a daily spiritual transformation and growth so that no matter our age or situation, we grow and increase in grace and kindness unto the Image of Christ.
Extending grace when we’re tired, weary, and fed up is a challenge. But we can find strength in the hope that God’s grace will flow through our lives, increasingly reaching others. We hold onto this hope because God will fully restore and reconcile us. Despite our current struggles and the limitations of our physical existence, we trust God’s healing and restoration will prevail in the unfolding of time.