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Learning to Receive Part 2
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 12:00AM Happy Wednesday!
I promised you in Monday’s post that I would answer the question I posed – “If I struggle to receive gifts from loving, caring friends, what else am I struggling to accept?”
You may be surprised at this Christian speaker and author’s answer – it’s God’s grace.
You see, from little on, I have believed that our eternal salvation is purely a gift from God – a gift of pure grace. I can do nothing to earn it. I can never pay it back. I understand this and freely accept it. I get this.
Where I struggle is in receiving God’s gifts of daily grace – the blessings of speaking, the blessing of authoring a book, the blessings of two incredible children, the blessing of a loving, faithful husband, the blessings of having what we need, the blessings of friends with which to share this journey.
Somehow, in the living of my life, I started believing myself “not worthy” of God’s loving hand. I started struggling to accept His intimate, daily blessings without feeling a need to pay Him back.
So, I started to “prove myself” worthy of His love. I somehow began to believe that I needed to show Him I could repay His generosity.
Just like when a friend offers childsitting and I insist her children come to my house twice, when God blessed me, I attempted to pray more, read His Word more, give more, open myself up to doing more. All this was to prove my worthiness.
Unfortunately, it never seemed enough.
Then last week occurred, and I really couldn’t do anything to prove myself to God. I had no extra energy. My prayers seemed stilted. His Word was just words. And do you know what?
I felt more loved by God as I sat at His feet with nothing to give, just hands open wide, hoping to receive. My heart became overwhelmed with the truth of His compassion, His caring, and His intimate desire just to love me!
Oh sweet friends, if you find yourself in the same situation I was in – struggling to prove yourself to God and to accept His grace, I pray that you take time to just simply sit and receive! Through open hands and open confession of your faulty efforts, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE TRUE LOVE AND PEACE OF THE FATHER.
You don’t have to prove a thing!
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Reader Comments (7)
Thanks for your honesty. I think I feel that way a lot also.
Kristen: I needed that, too. Love, Marcia
WOW!!! WE all get in that cycle!!! I am opening my arms & accepting right now!!! Thanks for this!! Love you so much!!! Your "older" sister.
I've struggle the same. I so need to be reminded of this at times.
Thanks, Marla! Boy was that written for me. Will try and work harder on improving.
Thank you, Kristen, for the beautiful reminder. God is so good and yet we struggle. Love you and thank you for reminding us of God's mercy and grace toward us.
Several nights lately I have not slept worrying about sick children and grandchildren - guess what? I worried about the wrong one! I worried about a new job for my son-in-law and I and guess what? we both have new jobs to start on the 19th. Trust - trust and receive his blessings and goodness. Sit at his feet and receive and tell the world that the Lord is good. - Congrats on the "Coffee with the Savior" I know he will bless the readers.