It’s a new year and we made it! I’m giving myself permission to try some new things as we begin to exhale and settle into the new year. (Hint: It’s all about grace.) And I’m starting here because I know I can trust you. Ready?
Confession
The new year is always a bit of a struggle, but not in the way you’d expect. I love goals. The idea of checking lists and achieving things comes naturally to me. (That’s not to say it is easy, believe me!) It’s just the way my brain works.
The thing that’s not so easy for me? Grace. That’s what I need to be intentional about.
An Irritating Story
There’s this story in the Bible that has always annoyed me. Whenever I hear it I scoff, thinking it’s foolish. (Did I just admit that I audibly scoff at a Bible story? Sorry, not sorry. I have to be honest. And I’m pretty sure God can handle my issues.)
Back to the story. I wonder if you’ve heard it, too. I wonder if it makes you roll your eyes and think, must be nice. Have you guessed the one I’m thinking of? It’s about our friends Mary and Martha.
They’re sisters and one is busy getting things done (Martha) while the other (Mary) is just lounging–I mean spending time with Jesus. I could be okay with that. But then Jesus explains that Mary is doing what is best. The whole thing is explained in Luke 10:38-42.
As you may detect, I tend to side with Martha here. After all, there are things to get done. And there’s nothing like the blank slate of a New Year to remind us of that. But Jesus wants us to focus on Him. He wants us to know love and grace.
I struggle to find grace when I’m only focused on goals.
Little Ways to Shift from Goals to Grace
Before I tell you what I’m doing, you should know that I still believe goals are important just like I still believe I can’t simply have quiet time all day and never do laundry. Instead of making grace into a goal (defeating the whole purpose), I’m intentionally doing a few things:
- Making space for grace instead of filling my whole day with goals
- Praying that God will help me experience grace and pursue the right goals
- Playing worship music to remind myself of His grace
- Having more fun and experiencing joy
- Saying things I’m grateful for instead of always focusing ahead
Remember This
The more we put our eyes on God, the more grace we feel. It doesn’t change the amount of grace there is – God is full of grace for us. It simply helps us feel it. And we could all benefit from feeling a bit more grace.
If you’re looking for a great resource, try Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley – This is full of beautifully practical reminders as you enter the new year.
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