Don’t Wait For Crisis Before Seeking God’s Grace, Doctor Tells Presbyterian Church Women

A medical doctor and guest speaker, Dr. Nnennaya Umeh, has urged women to actively seek and activate the grace available to them in Christ.

Umeh made the remarks on Saturday while delivering a sermon titled “The Women Unlimited in Grace” at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Women Guild Conference of the Gwarinpa Parish, themed “The Total Woman.”

According to her, Grace is a transformative force capable of sustaining women through life’s challenges and helping them fulfil their purpose.

“Grace is a gift from the abundance of God’s riches. God’s riches are unlimited and in the same way the grace He gives you is abundant. You cannot measure it, you cannot finish it and it cannot expire. It keeps rolling over and over,” she said.

She noted that God does not give gifts sparingly, adding that the greatest demonstration of divine grace was the gift of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity.

Quoting John 3:16–17, she said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.”

“That is the most priceless gift. We are receiving that gift at Christ’s expense and that is why you cannot put a value on the grace of God upon your life,” she added.

Umeh noted that while many people often view grace as an abstract concept, it is a practical spiritual force that enables individuals to progress in life.

Using a simple illustration, she described how people often find themselves at a point in life where they desire change but struggle to understand how to get there.

“You are at point A in your life and you know you need to move to point B. You begin to think about what you need like extra skills, money, someone who will mention your name in rooms you cannot enter or new opportunities,” she said.

However, she explained that grace is what ultimately attracts those opportunities and resources.

“Grace is the game changer. Grace is what will attract the things you have been pursuing in your own strength,” she said.

Umeh further compared grace to something that can be absorbed into the human body.

“Imagine grace like something you swallow. When you swallow it, it is absorbed into your cells. Once it enters your system and becomes part of you, it begins to activate things in your life.

“Opportunities begin to come, the training comes, the money comes, the deployment opportunity comes and gradually you begin to move from point A to point B and eventually to where God wants you to be,” she explained.

She emphasised that many people only acknowledge God’s grace after a crisis has been resolved, forgetting that it is present daily.

“Every single day that you wake up and your feet hit the floor, it is the grace of God that is keeping you. Without that grace you cannot tell where you would be,” she said.

Sharing a personal experience, Umeh recalled a moment more than two decades ago when she was in labour and became physically exhausted, recalling that she had earlier experienced a miscarriage.

“I was in the labour room and I was so tired that I could not push. I was scared because I had lost a pregnancy before. But it was the grace of God that carried me through that moment,” she said.

Umeh also spoke about the hidden struggles many women face, noting that despite appearing strong externally, many are dealing with deep personal and emotional challenges.

“Some women have been praying for the fruit of the womb for years. Some are looking for the employment they believe they deserve. Some are silently going through challenges in their homes, including gender-based violence. Others are caregivers for parents and young children and they are tired.

“There is pressure to wake up, put on makeup, wear your wig and come out looking packaged as if nothing is wrong, yet inside there are cracks. But the grace of God is there every day carrying you through,” she said.

She further explained that God’s grace remains relevant throughout every stage of a woman’s life, from childhood to old age.

According to her, grace protects children from illness and accidents, helps young girls maintain their identity despite peer pressure, supports women balancing careers and family responsibilities, and strengthens elderly women dealing with loneliness and loss.

“It takes grace to forgive people who hurt you. It takes grace to love your neighbour when they are trying to frustrate your life. It takes grace to trust God when you feel like panicking,” she said.

Quoting 2 Corinthians 12:9, she reminded participants that God’s grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in human weakness, encouraging women to seek the renewal of God’s grace daily through prayer rather than waiting until crises arise.

“We must learn to ask for our daily dose of grace. Grace is not only for emergencies. It is for everyday living,” she said.

“The grace of God upon your life will not finish and it will not expire. Whatever situation you are passing through, the grace of God is sufficient for you,” she declared.