August 10th, 2018
**My team and I just got down serving at a refuger camp in Indonesi. As we prayed about what was next, we felt the Lord lead us to a weeken retreat in Maylasia to be able to debrief And get ready for the last 4 months in Asia. Which Is why I’m at a pool. A good restful weekend.**
Being on the World Race has given me many opportunities to learn and grow. Although one of the biggest things I’ve been learning is the idea of rhythm and it’s relationship to balance. In other words: The Pace of Grace.
I’m beginning to realize that my life may not always look balanced. Life can be crazy. Whether it’s just a busy season in my life or something heartbreaking has happened within the storms of life; in those moments, I find myself feeling stretched like thin butter. I find myself exhausted and fatigued. I find myself getting behind in my eating, workout, and sleep patterns. I find myself getting behind in my goals and disciplines. I find myself becoming apathetic. I find myself comparing and judging others to each other or really what’s happening is I’m comparing and judging myself to others. All in all, I find myself coming up short and not feeling good enough at anything. This then makes me look to others and judge their habits and patterns making me feel better than them or worse than them. I end up realizing the expectations I put on people are the expectations I put on myself or vise versa. I end finding myself coming up short which means they come up short too. I find it hard to simply love those around me. The heart of the issue is that my achievements are what give me the perception that I have earned or deserved something from God. When it really has been God’s Grace through the work of Jesus all along. Simply.. I can’t seem to find myself being balanced. I may try and look “Balanced” on the outside but I’ve come to find that only lasts so long. I even get to this point that I can’t admit my weakness to Jesus and I start trying to earn my right passage to the love of Jesus and calling on my life that truly has already been giving to me freely. Really.. I’ve realized nobody really cares when we try to so hard to prove to ourselves and others our walk. The fruit comes out and your authenticity will eventually come out.. I end up burning out to have myself only prove to myself that I was dumb and nobody was paying that much attention to me.
So I asked and ask myself? How can I still follow Jesus and live this abundant life He has for me when life is unbalanced or when the storms of life come at me? Or really, how can I experience this fullness of life even when life is “balanced?” The answer I’m finding is that:
It’s not about balance but about rhythm. It’s not about striving but about grace. It’s not about me but about Jesus.
So I realized I need to stop trying to look good on the outside or maybe not even that but I need to know I can’t do it on my own strength. I realized I need to stop searching for balance and find rhythm. Balance is a representation of our outer world and rhythm is a representation of our inner world. The balance we desire will come when we find a right rhythm. So.. I’ve come once again on my knees making the prayer that David did…
“For the source of your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to you. The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you. You will not despise my tenderness as I humbly bow down at your feet.” Psalms? ?51:16-17? ?TPT??
The key to a healthy Christian life is not balance but rhythm. Although balance is actually good and helps, that’s not what God is after. For true balance is a fruit of right rhythm. As followers of Jesus we don’t live to build the outside but by building the inside the outside becomes built. Jesus came to change our hearts. Jesus came to change our souls not our behavior. Jesus came because we weren’t good enough. Jesus came to show us His Grace and help lead us into The Pace of Grace. Jesus simply came for this reason:
““And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”
??Ephesians? ?2:2-5? ?ESV??
So what’s the The Pace of Grace? It’s a life built and rooted in the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s a life built with a rhythm found in Jesus. The Pace of Grace is… well.. I’ll let the Scriptures and Holy Spirit teach us..
“Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
??John? ?14:6? ?TPT??
““I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!”
??John? ?15:1-8? ?TPT??
““Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”” Matthew? ?11:28-30? ?TPT??
“But he answered me, “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me.” ??2 Corinthians? ?12:9? ?TPT??
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
??Psalms? ?23:1-6? ?ESV??
““You will know me as ‘I AM’ after you have lifted me up from the earth as the Son of Man. Then you will realize that I do nothing on my own initiative, but I only speak the truth that the Father has revealed to me. I am his messenger and he is always with me, for I only do that which delights his heart.”” John? ?8:28-29? ?TPT??
The rhythm of the Christian life is rooted in the obedience and surrender of one’s heart in response to the love of God that is in Christ Jesus found in the Secret Place; the place where we begin to leave the reality of our world and only see the reality of Jesus. This happens so that we can be changed to live, love and look like Jesus. It’s not about balance, it’s about rhythm. It’s not about striving but about grace. It’s not about me but about Jesus.
So today I’m sitting by this pool and resting in the love of God. Today I’m following Psalm 55…
? “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
??
Today you may be in a tough place or are able to relate to some of what I’ve talked about.. If that’s you.. read these lyrics.. read the Scriptures above and know that God loves you where you are at. God sees you and knows you intimately. God is faithful to meet you there. God is near. God loves you. God wants you. Be still and know He is your Perfect Heavenly Father.
Be Still//Hillsong Worship
“Be still and know
That the Lord is in control
Be still my soul
Stand and watch as giants fall
I won’t be afraid
You are here
You silence all my fear
I won’t be afraid
You don’t let go
Be still my heart and know
I won’t be afraid
Be still and trust
What the Lord has said is done
Find rest, don’t strive
Watch as faith and grace align
I won’t be afraid
You are here
You silence all my fear
I won’t be afraid
You don’t let go
Be still my heart and know
I won’t be afraid
I won’t be afraid
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me
Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me
Will follow me.”
