“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30
Grace is not something we can talk ourselves into.
We can not live out grace by our own sheer will.
Grace is the product of inner transformation.
There is no self help book, no “live your best life” seminar, no path to success in three easy steps way to cultivate a grace-filled life. A grace-filled life is evidence of a Spirit-filled life. To walk in its rhythm is to keep in step to the melody that God has composed through time in his presence.
Inner transformation can only occur, in my belief, through pain and struggle.
Keeping in step to the rhythm of grace is to keep in step to the heart of God.
We become weary when we try to manipulate our minds and our hearts to live God’s way without God doing the rhythm keeping. How often do we rely on our own self-sufficiency, our strong-willed abilities to change thought patterns, and completely miss the peaceful melody that God is trying to teach us in the middle of our struggle?
Eventually we burn out.
We hit a situation beyond our control.
Graceless and weary, we find ourselves empty. The music we have composed from a self-centered heart lacks meaning and melody, rhythm and grace.
Draw close to God.
Lean into him.
Learn his ways.
Discover his heart, and allow his heart to impact and transform your heart.
Allow God to use the struggles and pain and hurt and discouragement you face to produce in you real and sustainable grace.
The song that God is composing in your life will be far more beautiful, far more meaningful, far more heavenly as you learn to keep in step to the rhythm of his grace.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
