The past five years have been a wonderful, incredible time of growth for me. The Lord spoke to me one day after I had gone through a difficult time and said "I am going to teach you to rest."
I had no idea then what I was in for, but it has been amazing.
I spent about a year and a half just being deprogrammed from all of the "religious" thinking I had picked up along the way. Thinking that hindered me from seeing the work on the cross as truly finished. I said the words "the work is finished" but I only believed that it was true if I was was smart enough to figure out how to get God to make it work in my life. I thought I had to jump through hoops, and pray exactly the right words or all the finished work was void for me.
This living was exhausting me. I spend everyday trying so hard to do enough. I had my hand in every pot I could find because I wanted to show God that I was good enough to be used by Him. I spent everyday feeling really good about myself because I felt like I got it all right that day, or really bad about myself because I had some how messed up. This living is NOT living in rest. It is NOT living in the finished work on the cross. It is NOT living with any understanding of Grace.
I used to think that grace was a type of "Tylenol" if you will. It got me through a hard time, maybe not victoriously, but it got me through. Grace is power, it is God's power at work in our lives because of the finished work on the cross. It is the power and favor that enables us to live in rest.
God has changed my mind-set SO much. I am not the person I was five years ago. Five years ago I was free and did not know it, now I am walking in that freedom.
My journey is not without challenges, but my trust in the Lord, my trust in His love for me, my trust in the finished work, makes all the difference in how I go through those challenges. I now know that it is not about me being able to figure out what I need to do to get God to move on my behalf. I now know that the only "doing" He asks of me is to trust, believe, rely on and cling to Him. There will be things that I do, but they will come through the Spirit working in my life, they will be an overflow of what God has done in me.
This is resting, this is living in the power of the finished work on the cross. This is living in His grace.
Chapter 4: Who Are You to Write This?
15 hours ago
6 comments:
Loved this post! The complete and finished work on the cross is the most beautiful truth and yet sometimes soooo difficult to grasp in our human finite minds!
So glad to hear you are walking in freedom!
I know that there is nothing I can do that will make Him love me more or less. And to be rooted in His deep love, that's the only way we can truly understand the kind of love that comes from the Lord.
I'm glad that the Lord has revealed that in your heart what "rest" means. That's what's amazing with Him. We can claim that "rest" now and not even wait for the life after. God bless.
The diligent part of entering into that rest is hard work. But the rest of God is where it's at. And grace...can't say enough about grace.
Grace to you Daveda.
Tracy
Ah, yes. THIS is living!
Your statement that you are not the same person you were five years ago? Yeah. I can relate to that.
I am well aware that I am not yet the person God is making me to be. He is NOT finished with me yet. But I am ALSO NOT the person I used to be. And for that - I am so very thankful!
Grace is a beautiful thing.
And thanks for the laugh about farting, burping and butts being common subjects in your home, too. Glad I'm not alone! *grin*
Sarah - yes, it can be so difficult for our minds to grasp. I think partly because of our mindset in the church. We have been taught that it has so much to do with if WE are getting it all right all the time, the focus seems to almost always be turned onto us instead of God's work in us.
RCUBEs - His love is the only way to understand. I agree completely. We love Him because He first loved us.
Tracy - Grace to you as well, friend. I have found and am still finding that the more I learn to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit, entering in is not so hard anymore. His burden is light and His yoke is easy. However, everyday I must choose if I believe that what He has done for me is enough, and if I will choose to stand on it. Thanks for the visit!
Irritable Mother - Praise the Lord! Not the same, but not done yet, either!...You are welcome for the comment. Thanks for the post. It's refreshing to know that others have boys like mine :)
Amen girl! Grace is power! His power to move and to rest while we are moving! Great post Daveda!
Love Ya,
Christy
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