Working for Grace [Day 36]
By Chanel Anthony
“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 28:30 MSG)
Overall, I’m a pretty hard worker in whatever I do: my job, my marriage, dreams I go after, and new challenges. When I’m committed to a challenge and undertaking, I usually show up even if I have no understanding of what I’m supposed to be doing! Usually this can be a good quality of work ethic and commitment, but as I intensely go after an undertaking, my identity and value can quickly become wrapped in the thing before me. And since I want my identity to reflect good character as a “strong” believer, I work even harder! I push harder, try harder, and set the standard of expectation over myself higher and higher with each micro-decision. Since my identity has wrapped in, I find myself asking the Lord questions like: “Lord, did I hear You right?” “Am I reading enough Scripture?” “Lord, did I misunderstand you?” It is only at this point that the Scripture above is sometimes the only thing to get me to slow my pace and, for the first time, listen.
The Scripture above speaks to my overworked, heavy, exhausted, and burdened spirit. This Scripture embodies the meaning of grace: unearned, safe, and open to the Lord. We are called immediately to walk with the Lord and leave every overwhelming thing at the feet of the Lord. When we run at a pace that is unsustainable and ultimately becomes our identity, it feels impossible we can receive anything like unearned grace. But learning the unforced rhythms of grace and knowing the Lord won’t lay anything heavy on us is the biggest hug the Lord can give us in those moments. That’s how I picture Jesus in those moments of our life: giving the biggest hug and grace, in the safest place we can experience.
Do you feel overwhelmed? With surviving in your job or having to even find a new job? With the expectations we have put on each other as parents, friends, sons/daughters, and believers? I encourage you to take 15 minutes alone, read this Scripture in silence, and receive God’s grace. He wants to be in these moments of life, and He certainly does not expect you to come in any shape or form other than your real self with real burdens. He wants to be in these moments to comfort your heart, walk with you, and give you the goodness of His grace!
Prayer
Lord, You are so good to me! You offer something that comforts my soul like nothing else can: unearned grace. I’m so thankful to follow a Lord that sees my struggles, mistakes, and shortcomings only to be met with incredible love and friendship. I pray that You take this overwhelming burden off my shoulders and help me direct my identity and value back to You. I choose to follow You, walk with You, and learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Amen.
