Gift Number Twenty Two

Many of you have heard me talk about the Grace Habit. Some of you haven’t. But the fact is - the Grace Habit is good to practice often.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed - all these gifts are intended to make walking a life of faith more meaningful, rich and healing. All of these gifts support one another. Each gift makes the next easier to open, if you will.

So, whether you haven’t done the grace habit in a while (or ever) this gift is for you.

Sit down somewhere comfortably quiet - at least for the next few minutes. Take a few deep breaths and with each one release a bit more of the stress and chaos of the moment. I like to imagine one of many spots on earth that remind me of the Garden - Garden of Eden, Garden of Gethsemane, garden of paradise - whatever pleases you. Go there in your mind. I like to imagine a little fire there - like one of the many campfires I’ve made.

I also really like to sit a beautiful place, with a cozy little fire, with some really great company. No better company in my mind than Jesus. Go ahead and imagine yourself sitting there with Jesus.

As you’re sitting there - go over the burdens you’re carrying. Anything that’s negative or heavy or hard to carry - go ahead and toss into the fire. The more you allow yourself to be in that space with Him - the more meaningful it is as you let each of those things that are too much to carry, too much to keep lugging about slip into the fire. Of course, when you toss fuel into the fire - the flames leap up. Sparks pop and snap. The heat intensifies.

Imagine all that heat coming off your fire as Jesus’ love and warmth flooding into your soul - into all those spaces that used to be taken up with all those burdens. Stress. Disappointments. Arguments. Losses. Whatever it is that’s wearing you out and weighing you down you can offer up there in that fire - and allow the warmth of Jesus’ Love and Grace to take its place in your soul.

Filling up with Jesus’ Grace is the only godly way to fuel obedience. If you try to fuel growth and transformation with laws, rules, “shoulds” and legalism you’ll get crushed. But fueling our walk with Jesus with His Grace will grow in us all the spiritual fruits in abundance.

When you’ve finished unburdening yourself - consider interceding for others and doing a little prayer-care for those in your life. We all know someone who’s had a tough year, or rough week - and everything in between. We all know someone who’s lost someone, or had some significant changes in their life. Lift them up.

You can do the Grace Habit as often and as long as you like. In the beginning I thought I’d never make headway at living life without stress and frustration - but then it all of a sudden dawned on me that the bulk of the fuel I was tossing into my little bon-fire on the beach were others’ burdens. Try it. Keep at it - and watch your burdens, frustrations, stresses melt away as Jesus uses His love and Grace to heal your soul and put everything into perspective.