Embrace the Unknown

Do you ever find yourself facing the unknown? For people who live by faith this really is the norm. Whether we like it or not, no matter how much we think we are in control, we never know what’s around the corner.

When we embrace the unknown of tomorrow, we are in essence accepting the out stretched hand of God as Peter did (Matthew 14:22-33). He’s saying “come with Me” He’s inviting us to dwell on the sea of the unknown—inviting us to live a life of audacious faith.

In following God the one decision we are always faced with is trust. Will we trust even when we can’t see? Will we embrace the unknown with fully abandoned trust in God—releasing our life into His hands, believing He has good planned for us, or will we worry about tomorrow?

Will we say no to fear and yes to stepping out of our comfort zone and be the people God has called us to be?

When Peter accepted God’s invitation the wind was blowing and the sea tossing. And yes—the unknown looks a lot like that sea, and the question “What if I sink” always arises. Likewise the temptation to shrink back into the familiar, even if it’s not ideal, continually tries to threaten us.

The unknown that God is calling us to is a deep sea, and our feet will slip and sometimes we will be overwhelmed and even begin to sink—but if we keep our focus on Jesus and not our circumstances—we will never drown.

The beauty of the unknown is that though it be a deep sea—this sea is where the depth of God’s grace abounds, the place we experience His glory—where our faith is made stronger—this place in which His presence dwells.

What unknown is God asking you to embrace?

As for me it’s a deeper level of submission along with new levels of trust. And I honestly have to say I’m being stretched way beyond my comfort levels. But as I speak God’s word to my soul and allow Him to change my heart, I am certain I will prosper in this new season.

No matter what our unknown may be, at the end of the day we are all faced with the same question—will we rest and find our peace in God’s sovereignty?

Please be encouraged to ask God to change your heart so that you may embrace the great unknown—living a life of reckless faith.

Life on His Lap

There’s something extremely comforting about sitting on a trusted, loved ones lap. Sadly as adults we very rarely ever get to cuddle up on our Papa’s lap to find comfort.

Do you ever long for a place to just sit—rest, be embraced and loved?

Some of my kids, although they are teens and young adults, still find comfort on my lap, where they (awkwardly) sit—don’t say a word—just take refuge.

When my kids were young and they were constantly on my lap or in my arms, I found my refuge on God’s lap.

Psalm 84 says,

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Pondering this scripture, I noticed God provided a place for the birds of the air to have a home and raise their young, not just any place but at His altar in His presence. Knowing my life was more valuable than the sparrow and swallow—I felt this to be an invitation to set up shop—build my nest and raise my young in His presence.

To me, God is Big Daddy—Papa, I love to sit on His lap and rest my head on His chest. Here I feel His heart beat and get my heart in rhythm with His. So it was only appropriate to picture myself—building my home—raising my kids—living my life—on His lap.

I love to imagine how huge God’s lap must be! Just think about it.

To this day even when the nest is threatening to empty, I still must live my life on His lap—in His presence—never too far, just like a child always making sure their parents are in reach—is where I find my comfort, rest and refuge.

Be encouraged, no matter your age, to except the invitation to live life on His lap.

The Message beautifully describes Psalm 84:3-7,

Birds find nooks and crannies in your house, sparrows and swallows make nests there.
They lay their eggs and raise their young, singing their songs in the place where we worship.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God! How blessed they are to live and sing there! And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel. They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!

Grace is a Force

Star Wars anyone?

This current season of digging deeper into God’s grace and its true meaning, is changing not only my everyday life, but my embedded opinions of the power of grace.

For a few weeks now God has been speaking to me about grace being a force. Consider that statement for a moment. Grace is a force.

Force defined as:  Strength, energy, power; intensity, influence and effect.

Until now, I have never thought of grace as a force—but it makes perfect sense. (Remember in a previous blog I said I lived in sloppy grace—using grace as an excuse not to do things I should. See blog titled Grace.)

When I woke the other morning, I had thoughts of Star Wars—weird—because although I like Star Wars and have seen all the movies, multiple times—I’m not a huge enthusiast. But I was pondering Star Wars in light of those who struggle to overcome sin.

I was reminded of grace as a force, and the words “May the force be with you,” came to mind. I began to ponder all that the “Force” does and is for the characters of Star Wars.

I’m putting my disclaimer out there—I do not believe in the force from Star Wars and merely view it as something in a movie—I am not into cult practice or magic! Don’t get all religious on me and not read this because I’m using the force to relate to grace! Relax and just go with it!

The force gives the people in Star Wars supernatural ability. God is supernatural and gives us supernatural abilities. One of these supernatural abilities is grace to overcome—grace to live holy—grace to do the things God asks of us—grace to obey—grace to move forward—grace to love and forgive—grace to find God in impossible situations—grace to heal.

As I’m diving deeper into accessing grace and applying it to daily life, I’m finding that I’m able to do things I did not think I had ability, heart capacity, time or money to do. It’s the simple everyday things—such as getting things done, restored relationship, giving, meeting needs, praying more, living healthy, feeding people and  meeting writing goals. What’s interesting is that God is not increasing my natural resources, but there’s this dynamic taking place where I have the ability to do more and press further. It’s the force of grace working in my life. I do believe it has always been at work, but since I’m seeking more knowledge about grace—I have a new deeper revelation and I’m able to, by faith and the Holy Spirit, step into the fullness of grace.

When we view grace as a force it changes not only our perspective on grace, but or natural abilities.

God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians 12:9,
“My grace is sufficient for you for, My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

In regards to overcoming, this scripture informs us that His grace is what we need—it’s enough. If we feel too weak to overcome—it’s okay—His strength is made perfect in us—in our weakness.

When we are weak and become too scared or apathetic to overcome, is when we most definitely have to lean on grace as a force to help us. We access grace by faith. (Romans 5:2) But what if our faith is weak? This supernatural force will help even when our faith is lacking. Just muster up enough faith to call out to God—by His grace, He will strengthen us and our faith.

In areas where we lack maturity, God’s grace will carry us to maturity.

When I was a new Christian I thought I could linger in an immoral relationship and use the reasoning that God’s grace covers me. Well, it sort of did cover me—but really it carried me to maturity where I found and learned to believe God’s truth about sin.

Another time when I was not so new of a Christian, (that’s an understatement! I had been a Christian for twenty-five years!) Anyways, after following Christ for a quarter-century, God pulled the plug on a very serious issue that I struggled to overcome and foolishly lived with—fear.

That’s right, fear was my biggest road block; it debilitated me spiritually, because its root cause was unbelief—unbelief in God’s trustworthiness. I had been so hurt and disappointed in life—trusting did not come easy, if at all.

The Lord very boldly told me one morning that the grace to live in fear was over.  If I wanted to be in a relationship with Him, I would have to abandon fear and the lifestyle of mistrust I lived in because of it.

At first I was shocked that I had grace to live in fear, but the way God explained grace to me in this situation, is that it carried me to maturity. It was as if grace was the training wheels in my life—not God’s best for me—that’s for sure. Have you ever seen a twenty-five-year-old ride a bike with training wheels? Gross, right? That was a natural picture of my spiritual condition. Obviously, I was not accessing grace as a force during that time in my life. No wonder God in His mercy pulled the plug!

Devastated, I had to overcome fear. This is where grace as a force took over. Remember force defined as:  Strength, energy, power; intensity, influence and effect.

I knew I could not live without God—so I had to relinquish fear as my safety net in life. It was agonizing, no doubt. But the exchange was priceless. I traded fear for faith and trust. I did it by God’s love and grace (a force) moving me—undergirding me to heal and mature and believe in His faithfulness.

Can you see how weak we become when we live in sloppy grace? And when we don’t  use grace as a resource to overcome, but as an excuse to live a half-hearted life

Surely a half-hearted lifestyle cannot be God’s best for us. God’s best is that we overcome—live victorious—live holy—press forward—heal—exchange our weakness for His strength. This comes by knowing God’s grace as a force and believing in His love to change us through and through.

Please be encouraged to find this force, life is too short to settle for good enough—we should live in God’s best! May His force be with you!

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Grace

Does the grace you believe in draw you closer to God?

Everything we experience in life should cause us to have a greater dependency on God—drawing us nearer to Him.

There are a few areas in my life where I have been living in sloppy grace. I am at present making an exchange my sloppy grace for His real grace.

Sloppy grace says; “I can’t overcome my flesh or human weakness, but it’s okay because grace covers—so no big deal. Sloppy grace is to be slack-full. The trouble with this mindset is that we don’t move forward. Instead we settle for not being able to overcome, or worse—live in denial that sin even exists.

Being under grace does not mean we give into the weakness of our flesh. No, being under grace is to be justified and to live our lives filled and led by the resurrection power of Christ, which overcomes all weakness.

The travesty with living a sloppy grace lifestyle is that we don’t depend on God (thus draw nearer to Him) for the strength needed to push through and overcome. Why?  Because grace is not seen as a strength and help—but only as justification from sin. Consequently, we miss out on all that grace is and can be in our lives.

God is showing me that real grace says; “I can’t—but by God’s grace I can.”  “I don’t have to be perfect—but I do have to be submitted to God” Then receives the truth, and disciplines self to stop feeding the flesh and to do God’s will. Moving forward, trusting and depending on God for the strength and grace to walk out the hard stuff in life and overcome challenges.

Real grace draws us nearer to God because we realize—He is our life source and strength to overcome (by His grace) any weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Grace is sufficient for us because it not only helps us receive and live in what the cross did for us, but it is God’s divine assistance—we overcome sin by the resources that God’s grace provides us.

If you are living in sloppy grace—please be encouraged to make the exchange—God’s grace is sufficient!