” The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: ‘grace.’ “- Max Lucado
What happens when you really trust that something will happen or someone will come through?
What happens when you know that at a certain time, an event is inevitable? How do you wait? Impatiently? Stressed?
Do you check over and over again? Anxiously?
No, you wait patiently… Instead of anxiety, peace… instead of insomnia and stress, rest…
When you really trust that something will happen, you can relax. No, not lackadaisically, but a relaxed anticipation, a restful expectation.
You can do all you can to prepare, for sure… But, you can rest, when you’ve done all you can.
Peace…
Sometimes the thoughts race in your head – “Will this really happen?” ” Am I going to make a fool of myself?” “Can I really trust this person?”
Today was a difficult day. As usual, I am tested on whatever topic I write about and today was no exception. I had been waiting for a breakthrough in a certain area of my life but instead hit rock bottom. In another area, I hit an unprecedented level of recognition for something I didn’t anticipate or plan.
But as we discussed over the last few posts, Grace comes undeservedly – you can’t earn it or hustle for it. Grace comes unannounced like an old friend…
Grace is willing but Grace is also on a different schedule… You can’t plan for grace… You can’t place it on a deadline.
Yet, Grace is always on time. Not necessarily the time you anticipated, but the right time.
Yes, we wait, with watchful expectation, and as we wait, we prepare. And then, we rest in the peace that comes from fully trusting.
You know that you will not be let down. God will not fail you… ever! You are deeply loved and supported. So you can rest in that knowledge…
When you fully trust someone, you can let go of the manipulation, the controlling, the double-checking and looking over your shoulder in panic…
So ask yourself, “Is my behavior reflective of trust or distrust? Anxiety or Peace? Distress or Rest?”
Then, adjust accordingly.
Trust that things will work out for your best, whatever that looks like. Allow the trust to permeate your being until peace flows out. And you can rest in that peace. No, it won’t kill you. It will revive you! See you next time!
Cultivating Responsiveness to Grace:
1. What are you waiting for? Is it delayed?
2. How are you waiting? Anxiously? Impatiently? Distressed?
3. In what ways are you in need of rest?
4. Can you carve out some time to rest?
5. Do you trust that things will work out for your best? What is keeping you from trusting?
6. What does peace look like to you?
7. What can you do right now to cultivate your responsiveness to Grace?
Sometimes, things don’t make sense. The timing feels wrong. You feel out of place. Your mistakes overwhelm you and you hit rock bottom again and again. Grace never runs out and is always on time. Rest in this knowledge and trust that things will work out for your good. They will! I believe it!
Yvonne Whitelaw writes for Yvonnewhitelaw.com where she blogs about her quest to grow into her ideals in her “Live Your Ideals Project”. By sharing her Daily Haikus and lessons along the way (every Monday and Thursday), she hopes to serve and inspire a tribe of wholehearted humanitarians, visionaries and idealists like you, to “live your ideals, live your calling and change the world.”