Sometimes we're just too hard on ourselves, ya' know? If we can't blast into full throttle mode on any given task, we just throw up our hands, wander off, and do nothing at all.
Maybe sulk in the corner.
Pout.
Or have a bit of a pity party.
Half-truths and downright lies about who we are whisper their familiar refrain somewhere deep. The enemy of our soul's an excellent marksman, his poisoned arrows piercing right where it hurts most. After awhile we define ourselves by our imperfections and flaws, screw-ups and sins, with a list of coulda / woulda / shoulda's draping themselves around our defeated shoulders like a heavy, immobilizing wet blanket.
Slowly but surely, we feel 'less than.'
Or like we're never enough.
We begin to define ourselves by what we don't accomplish instead of who we are in Jesus Christ. And after awhile, when life throws us even the simplest of curve balls we throw up our hands in defeat instead of figuring out what a Plan B grace might look like.
What grace responses can we choose?
6 scenarios
&
some options we can choose
&
some helpful, practical links to take us there
1. The house desperately needs a heavy-duty spring cleaning, just like grandma used to do. Windows, curtains, linens, shelves, floors, every nook and cranny stripped bare and scrubbed to a spotless shine. Any less just won't do. It's all just too much to even comprehend.
Exhausted at the prospect, we drag ourselves half-heartedly through a few tasks before deciding to call it quits for yet another season.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
Not up for an all-out cleaning frenzy, we choose to crank up the music, set the timer, and do a bit of a spruce up for 15 minutes. Amazed at what we've accomplished, we decide to do it again in a couple of days!
2. Walking at least 2 miles every day is on the unspoken yet rigid agenda. It's sprinkling out and we'll get soaking wet if we venture that far.
Playing the martyr just a bit, we stay in and figure we'll head out some day when it's not too cloudy or wet or windy or cold or muggy.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
We choose to pull the sweatshirt hood over our heads, shrug off the raindrops, and head out for just a short hike instead. We return home surprised that it wasn't so bad after all!
3. Self-appointed experts or some kind of internal blog police strongly urge a great big online masterpiece penned each week. But we're swamped or life is going in a new direction or the creative well is bone dry.
Frustrated at these expectations, we force ourselves to write anyway ... and our words end up lifeless and dead.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
Here's 4 cool steps to get those creative juices flowing again.
4. We've finally started on a great big diet, and we've committed ourselves to lose 10 pounds. But then someone offers us a few goodies straight from the oven, and we end up gorging ourselves..
Disgusted, we throw in the towel and grab another handful. The diet wasn't working anyway.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
We choose to encourage ourselves to eliminate that restrictive word 'diet' from our vocabulary. And then switch gears and begin to eat healthy once again!
5. We believe that we must spend at least an hour each morning having devotions or we're bad Christians. When we can't live up to that standard, regular devotional times soon become a vague memory.
Guilt-ridden but not necessarily convicted, we're sure God's mad at us.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
We choose to consider a devotional time to be an invitation from God's loving heart, not a strict discipline that hangs over our heads like an ominous sword!
6. The dining table has become a convenient place to stack piles of random stuff because it's been eons since we invited guests over for a meal. We feel disconnected and wonder why no one's giving us a call.
Hurt, we figure no one would want to come over anyway.
OR a Plan B Grace Response . . .
Feeling a bit lonesome, we choose to call a friend and meet at Panera's for afternoon coffee in the comfy red chairs by the window!
We've been called to love our neighbors as ourselves.
If we can't cut ourselves a break, if we refuse to ratchet down our endless, often unrealistic expectations, how can we expect to show grace to others?
May we be able to look in the mirror and allow the Lord to lavish that deeply needed grace to the precious soul who stares back at us.
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