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Do you ever have days {or weeks} when you just can’t seem to get it together? You are tired, moving slow, overwhelmed, unmotivated, and just a wee bit discouraged?
I know I do.
What happens is, I tend to stay there. I feel guilty and as the guilt piles on, so does the discouragement. It weighs heavy on me.
God doesn’t offer us grace because we overcome these obstacles. No, no, no! God offers us grace because He has triumphed over our sin. It all goes back to believing we have to earn God’s grace. We don’t.
This is for you mother’s out there who are trying, not to earn God’s love or favor, but who are simply trying to be.
To be
- a good mother
- a faithful representative of Christ to your children
- a helpful wife
- a good homemaker
- simply a woman lost in God
Because we don’t need to be told that we at least have to try. We know that. What we need to be told is that we need to practice grace; that though we reach for God and fail, He carries us. He does not want us to remain in a place of conviction, because that conviction transforms into shame.
When we are convicted – or found guilty – God asks us to repent. Part of repenting is receiving His grace so we can move forward.
When we don’t receive His grace, we remain in a state of guilt and cannot be released from that bondage because we haven’t received the gift offered to us. We’re holding ourselves hostage even though Someone paid to have us freed. It’s as if we’re living as unbelievers. Not because we don’t believe, but because we don’t receive.
Sometimes we just aren’t good about receiving things — especially things we don’t deserve. And when we aren’t good at things, the best way to become better is to practice.
Friends, we need to practice receiving grace. We try and we fail, but we cannot allow ourselves to remain in that state of guilt and then shame. Because if we can’t let go of yesterday, we’re going to miss today. And if we can’t receive God’s grace, we can’t walk in the freedom and fellowship with Him that He desires ~ that He died for.
He died so we can be in fellowship with Him and live a life of freedom. Why would we choose to waste that gift and hold on to bondage?
It’s a battle of the mind and it’s something we need to combat everyday. Renew your mind by reading His Word. Meet with Him daily, hourly if need be, and receive grace so you can walk in freedom.
Walking in freedom does not mean we are free to sin, but rather we are free to begin again.
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Love it! I have been learning so much about grace and trust and obedience lately. God has been revealing to me the beauty of needing Him; His love is unfailing and when I let go of the control in my life and trust Him, He does so much more with my life than I ever could on my own.
I’m learning a lot, too. This was one thing God whispered to me one morning when I was in church worshiping. When He said to become like a child in our faith? I believe one aspect of that is to depend on Him as a child depends on his parents.
Hugs to you Lisa Grace!
This is a fantastic post! I am struggling with this right now, and am so thankful that God led me here.
Praise God, Ralene. So glad to hear He is leading you!
Christin…
wow. how can i ever thank you for sharing this today. this is where i’m at right now. i have been dealing with premenopausal depression for a few months now and have recently realized that since this started, i have neglected something very important: training my children. i have been repeating myself, raising my voice, or even ignoring their behavior rather than dealing with. dealing with it has seemed liked too much; however, i am now seeing that not dealing with it is worse. i now feel as though utter chaos and disobedience define our home, which makes the depression even worse…it just adds more to the heavy load, you know? anyway, this has come to my attention this week and i have been walking around feeling so condemned and feeling as though i will never get it all back together. and i haven’t been receiving grace, which i desperately need—for both myself and my kids. thank you for sharing this…it was a bright light in the darkness. you are such a blessing! ~patty
Patty, I know the feeling. My emotions run high when I’m pregnant and for at least 6 months postpartum. It is TOUGH. I always felt like my “withdraws” of grace were way more than my “deposits” of “good”. But God isn’t keeping track.
You know I’ve needed this lately.
Love this Christin. I LOVE the last line, walking in freedom does not mean we are free to sin, but rather we are free to begin again. That is exactly it. Excellent. Thank you for this breath of fresh air of encouragement and reminder today!
Thank you Joy for your encouragement.
God is leading me and it IS refreshing!
I am so thankful for His grace. I don’t receive as freely as I should most days though.
This was such a blessing to me. Thank you!
You’re so welcome Jamie, thanks for the encouragement.
oh wow that was VERY well said!!
Thanks so much, Lisa. He is teaching me SO much about grace this year. It is has been so wonderful!
I love that you explained that part of repentance is to receive grace. That is such a powerful truth. In my experience, there is only so much we can actually DO in terms of repentance, since we need to rely upon his power to transform us from the inside out. Sometimes all we need to do is receive that grace for the transformation to begin. The idea of ‘resting in Christ’ is key here. It’s a paradox to a lot of traditional teachings about repentance. We, on our own, can’t ‘change’ who we are. But we can do all things through Christ who makes us strong…and it comes via his grace. Mind boggling!