Grace Like Rain

Well, it's been a minute, friends. Life has been a little crazy here in Walton World as we're navigating some new territory - figuratively and literally (more on that later!). If you've been waiting with bated breath for my next post, my apologies.

So, there's something God has been stirring in my heart recently. I've been in many conversations with dear friends about the various seasons of life we are facing and often find ourselves wrestling with. I've been encouraged by so much from these precious conversations, but also burdened by so much. I feel like God has put this on my heart to encourage others...here, specifically. 

It's about GRACE. Hold on tight, dear reader, and prayerfully read these next few paragraphs. At the end, if this word has encouraged you, will you share it? Will you pass along the link to a friend who needs it? Or share it on your social media? Because here's the thing - we don't know everyone's battle. What if it's your friend, spouse, family member or co-worker needs to hear this in their season of life?

On the realz: Sin is awful. It's THE THING that separates us from relationship and fellowship with the Holiest of Holies. It builds a seemingly insurmountable wall that creates distance and disappointment and discontentedness. And let's also be reminded here that ALL SIN IS THE SAME - there are no "little" sins or "big" sins in His view. My gossip and failure to set Godly priorities with my time is just the same as someone else's adultery or addiction. 

But GRACE, y'all. Grace is THE THING that restores that relationship, tears down that wall. Not working to do more or be more or give more or anything "more" - just with standing with arms outstretched in repentance allowing God's grace to pour down on us like an unexpected summer shower. Play in it, friends! Don't grab an umbrella and try to protect yourself from it. Don't run away from it and try to hide under the nearest shelter. Let it soak you slap to the core. Sticky clothes, crazy hair, running mascara, ruined favorite shoes and all. 

Why is it so hard to accept this grace He so freely offers? Why do we "protect" ourselves from it, oftentimes even running from it? 

My guess is that we have a really jacked up image of God's response when we come to Him with a repentant heart to confess our sins. I think we sometimes see Him responding like an angry wife who has just strewn her cheating husband's dirty laundry across the front yard for all the world to see as she pours out her hurt and wrath on him in a screaming - and very public - verbal assault. "There is it, people! All the things! You're a no-good, sorry, cheating excuse for a human being," she screams for all the world to hear.

But that's really not God's M.O. AT ALL.

So, let's just erase that image for a minute -- or forever. What if...

     * We see Him instead as Abba Father - our Daddy.

     * We see Him as a loving Father who allows us to crawl into His lap in the quiet of His study.

     * We see a gentle man who welcomes His wayward daughter/son into His arms.

     * We see Him as loving Father who already knows exactly what we've done, but LOVES US JUST THE SAME.

     * We see Him as a forgiving Father who corrects because He loves us too much to let us act "that way."

     * We see Him as a loving Father who guides us back to the right path out of deep and unwavering love for us and His sincere desire to not let us wallow in misery and shame any longer.

I've been there, friends. Oh, how I've been there. I've been in that nasty mud pit that Satan built to trap me, just wallowing in my sin and shame far too often and for too long. Covered in mud and cloaked in misery because I believed the lies that I'm not good enough, my sin was too big, my baggage to heavy, my future too bleak. 

Lies, sweet friends. All lies. Because it's not about what I've done (or will do!)...It's about what Jesus did. That is where this precious gift of grace comes from.

How precious are those moments in His lap! How tender and new are His mercies EACH DAY! I danced in it, friends! I danced in His abundant grace and felt the freedom. I let it wash over me...And because of this precious gift, I can dance in it EACH DAY!

So, today. Will YOU dance in the rain with me? Will YOU let His mercy and grace pour down on you? 

Amen. And Amen.

When Waiting Turns to Worry

** WARNING **  This post has nothing to do with running!

Sunday night, I shared with our youth group some things that were on my heart that I have been struggling with. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to constant worry and here's the short version of what I shared. I hope it helps you find a place to "put" your worry....

Ever feel like you’re always waiting? I DO! I am so impatient and feel like there’s always something – or someone – I’m always waiting on.

When I was a child, it was birthdays, Christmas, summer break or maybe family vacations.

As a teen, it was driving, dating, proms and then graduation.

In college, it was Christmas/spring/summer break, graduation and, really, marriage.

As an adult, it was starting a family, vacations or even the daily wait of 5 o’clock when I can get home to my family.

And now, as a mom, I spend a lot of time waiting – first, I was waiting on the boys to arrive, then their first words, their first steps, their first whatever.

When you really think about it - I’ve probably spent the greatest part of my life “WAITING” on something – or someone. But I don't wait very patiently. In fact, I’m often very impatient. I want answers and results and oftentimes what starts out as rather innocent WAITING turns into WORRY.

And while “waiting” is probably ok. Worry is not. Let me repeat that – waiting is probably ok. But when our waiting turns to worry, we’ve got problems. God very clearly tells us throughout His word NOT to worry. Not because our problems are trivial or not important, but because He has our back, so to speak.

Let’s look at some scripture on this:

Read Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

So, there’s no denying this. Right? God clearly says NOT to worry. And when we worry, we’re essentially saying, “God, my problems are too big for you.” Or maybe you think, “God, I don’t want to bother you with my little problems. You’ve got bigger issues at hand.” Or worse yet, “God, I don’t need you to handle MY problems – I’ve got this.”

Let’s stop for just a second and watch this video to get a better perspective on how distorted this view of our worry actually is.

Francis Chan video

Wow! The God of universes yet unseen tells ME not to worry? The God who designed galaxies with hundreds of billions of stars knows how many hairs – even the gray ones – are on MY head?

The thought may seem preposterous but it’s so true. God LONGS for a relationship with us. He longs for us to bring our problems to Him. He longs to share in our joys and victories. And it is in this relationship that we can be freed from worry.

Some may not truly understand this idea of longing - from God’s perspective - until having own your children. I didn’t. But now, at the end of the day, there is nothing I want more than to wrap my arms around my boys and hear about their days - to laugh with them and spend time with them. And there is nothing else that will satisfy that longing. Spending time with someone else’s kids is not going to get it done. I want my boys and only my boys.

And this is what God wants from us – our time. He longs to spend time with each and every one of us – because we are His children. And when we give it to Him, our worries will begin to disappear. He will comfort us. He will guide us. He will make clear our path. He will love us unconditionally. He will rejoice in the victories of our days. If He can do that - what do we have to worry about?

Henry Blackaby, the author of the “Experience God” study once wrote,  “If we walk with Him closely today, we will be the center of His will tomorrow.”

How incredible is THAT thought? That a God so immense wants ME at the center of HIS will.

So, when we’re feeling anxious about things and it begins to turn to worry, we should take it to Him and GIVE it to Him. Don’t take it to Him and continue to carry it around and stress and worry. Leave it as His feet.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray continuously.” As our preachers said this morning, we should seek continual and unbroken conversation with God. And as you know, conversation requires both talking AND listening.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” These are eight powerful words – especially in today’s society. Some of you have had a hard time being still and staying focused during this brief devotion. But this is actually the key to letting go of our worry. GIVE the worry to Him….

and then let Him be God.