An Offering of Grace

poolofwater

The Mudroom is a place for the stories emerging in the midst of the mess.” ~ The Mudroom

Right now I feel like I’m living in a mess. There are so many demands, a lot of which I put on myself, voices in my head telling me what I must do.

Get rid of the clutter. You should be keeping your house cleaner. Why can’t you have regular nutritious meals? You’re too fat. You need to exercise more. Face it, you’ll never lose weight. You said you were going to have regular times of prayer every day, but you aren’t doing it.

You really should try to see your mother more than once a week. She is lonely. Shouldn’t you be there whenever she wants you? You should keep in better touch with all your children and grandchildren. You need to be doing more with your husband.

You should have kept better records in home school so your son could have a better transcript. You’ll never make that deadline. Why do you even try? You aren’t a writer. Others can do it so much better.

And the guilt just continues to build while I listen to those voices.

First I try to make excuses as if I need to justify why I can’t or don’t do those things. I am only one person and I am not superhuman, so how can I possibly do it all? After some time of this back and forth deliberation, I finally see that I am the one putting on the pressure. It’s like I’m dwelling in a guilt-ridden cage of my own making. I feel like I’m constantly falling short and will never find release.

But Jesus tells me a different story.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

I then realize I am tired. My weariness often clouds my mind and magnifies the real and/or perceived problems. I don’t need to make excuses, but instead, run to Jesus who lavishes me with love and offers grace. The good news is that I am accepted because Jesus conquered death by rising from the grave. I cannot add anything in payment and I’m not expected to. I don’t have to keep striving and piling on the guilt. He wants my life, not to beat me into submission but to forgive and to draw me close in a loving embrace. He has extended unbelievable grace to me.

Run to Jesus

When the storms of life

Stir up waves of despair

Threatening to pull you down

 

Run to the One who loves you

Run to the One who never fails

Run to the One who brings peace

 

Run to the only One

Who can bring you hope

And lift you up

 

Run to Jesus

The Righteous One

Our Lord and Savior

                                ~gayl wright

His love is incomparable.

When I yield to His calling I am made stronger. His Spirit in me gives new life, and I am free to live in peace with joy rather than worrying if I’ve done enough to please God. His love covers me fully. I am able to see things from a different perspective. The problems and voices in my mind may not go completely away, but they don’t have to rule or define me. I can do things intentionally rather than being pushed along from one to another. Of course it’s a lesson I have not fully learned and it’s easy to fall back into the trap, but God always gives me grace.

Because of the grace I have been shown, I am able to accept my limitations. I can then extend grace to the other people in my life, doing what I can with a spirit of praise to God. There is joy to be found in ordinary, everyday things. My life will be an offering to God as I follow His leading, pursuing the dreams He has given along with caring for those in my charge. 

He will take my small offerings and make them worthy. He will do the same for you.

Gayl Wright
Latest posts by Gayl Wright (see all)

22 thoughts on “An Offering of Grace

  1. Gayl, you could be inside of my head. This is the daily pattern of my thoughts – heaping guilt upon guilt on myself. Thank you for the reminder of the grace we can have instead!

    • Nicole, I have to remind myself daily of the grace God gives. I tend to let the expectations of others drive me sometimes until I remember that they don’t get to define me or lay guilt on me. They may not always give grace, but God does. Thanks for commenting! Blessings to you!

  2. Your words are an anthem for those of us who are also the filling in that mid-life sandwich you are living right now. The only way we can hope to extend grace to all the people in our lives looking for it (good heavens) is if we first take grace from Him.

    • Oh, Michele, it really is hard to be “the filling in that mid-life sandwich.” Sometimes it seems there are so many demands, and that’s when I need to just stop and take a step back, to run to God for grace and wisdom before I make decisions about what to do or not to do. Thanks for your encouragement. Blessings to you!

    • Thanks, Amanda! It encourages me to know that you are also encouraged. I really need a daily reminder of God’s grace, and it is so freely given. Blessings to you!

  3. Gayl, so fun to see you over here. Grace is such a beautiful gift given to us freely. Didn’t someone write about the gifts of God’s grace during October and Write 31 days? 😛 I love that Matthew text. Such an important reminder for us all. Too often we become weary in the midst of life.

    • Tara, thanks so much for stopping by. Your comments are encouraging! Yes, it is so easy to become weary and sometimes we don’t even realize that is the problem, but we need to care for ourselves making sure we get the rest we need. And we need to receive that grace God so freely offers to us, because His love for us is unmatched. Blessings to you!

  4. The enemy’s voice is so loud when we’re weary and vulnerable. Thank you for this great post that helps me to recognize who’s really behind these kinds of thoughts.

    • Yes, it seems like when we are weary and vulnerable that everything is magnified and seems so hard. Thanks for your encouraging comments, Elizabeth. I’m glad the post was a help to you. Blessings to you!

  5. “I can do things intentionally rather than being pushed along from one to another.” I am writing this down in my affirmation journal. I love the word intentional. Doing one thing at a time with joy and intention immediately brings a peace to my heart. I allow myself to be pushed along to one thing and than another, and another far too often. Thank you for this beautiful insight today. Much love to you.

    • Terri, I’m so glad this encouraged you! I also let myself be pushed along far too often. I agree that doing things intentional does bring peace. I can feel the tension leaving when I stop, relax and make a decision to do something rather than feeling like I have to do it. Blessings to you and much love! xo

  6. I so appreciated this post today as I am tired. I am so grateful that on these days, our God just bids me come & rest. No guilt. He knows my frame and knows exactly what I need. Thank you for sharing these words which truly were a refreshing balm to my soul! Blessings!

    • I’m so glad you were refreshed, Joanne! Thanks for stopping by with your encouraging comments! Blessings to you.

  7. There truly is joy in the everyday things and in resting in Him. Our legalistic hearts make us believe we have to do more and be better all the time. I read something recently about these cycles we get into: Do more followed by failure, then guilt, then when the pain of the guilt gets heavy enough we go back to do more, etc. And all the while the Lord says, “Come … and rest!” Thanks for sharing. I’m visiting from “Family, Faith & Friendship.” Blessings!

    • Now that you mention it, I can see it is really a cycle that we get into. We so easily forget that Jesus calls us to come to Him and rest. I’m so glad you stopped by, Donna! Thank you for your encouragement. Blessings to you!

  8. Those same “voices” visit me from time to time too. It doesn’t occur to me to do like Jesus did those 40 days in the desert, when Satan was tempting him, especially with doubts, yet Jesus responded with words testifying to the love of His Father and the power of the Word. I need to remember Whose I am, the price He paid for ME, and the power of His Word.

    Thanks for sharing this beautiful post!

    • I think those “voices” bother all of us at times, Karen. We need to keep reminding ourselves to run to Jesus, and like you said remember that He paid a high price for us. He wants to help us and we so easily forget. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your encouraging words. Blessings to you!

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