Braving ChangeSample

Recognize Transition When You’re In It: Rhythm of Grace

If we're to understand what walking in our rhythm of Grace looks like, we first have to understand Grace altogether. "Grace, in Christian theology, [is] the spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favor in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification."

Also, "(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings."

So, Jesus extends Grace to us, through His Life, Death, and Resurrection, in the gift of Salvation that we simply do not deserve by our own ability or virtue. It's unmerited favor because God so deeply loved each and every one of us in our mess and sin that He sent Jesus to redeem our lives and draw us close. And Jesus willingly laid down His Life so that we could live. Simply put, His Grace brings us New Life. And when He gives and increases His Grace for a season or situation, there is ease and favor to move within it, no matter the mountains or valleys we encounter.

Matthew 11:29-30 reminds us of this. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

If you've never seen a yoke in real life, it's a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen to help them bear the load they carry while working together. It distributes the load equally as they pull heavy objects, like a plow through hardened soil. Sometimes the yoke is also put on a single ox, once again to distribute the weight properly across its shoulders to get the work done. Jesus is telling us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, meaning His Grace upon us distributes the weight of what we're carrying evenly so that we can fulfill the task at hand with Him. When a particular yoke of Grace lifts off our lives and we knowingly or unknowingly put on an ill-fitting one, things become difficult quickly.

Embracing transition once we recognize it in our lives will bring peace even in the midst of storms. We've got to first acknowledge where we're really at and then ask ourselves where we're avoiding or denying the inevitable.

Questions and Prayer

• Question: Ask yourself, Where am I making physical changes to my life and/or sabotaging good things to avoid the God-breathed or, honestly, just logical changes I need to make? In other words, Where am I avoiding or denying the inevitable or simply being disobedient to the Holy Spirit's nudge?
• Prayer: God, I thank You that You are always with me and that You are Good in and through every season, even when what I am facing may be difficult. Holy Spirit, I ask that you'd enlighten me to the transition that I am presently in and possibly avoiding or denying. Be my Helper and Counselor as I choose to walk through it with humility and integrity to the best of my ability. Jesus, I lay my life down once again and let go of all the things that I fear or want to control. I thank You that I can walk in Your Resurrection Life daily while I intentionally build my life on You and Your Love for me.