If you read my books (and you should) or if you hear me teach or come to me for advice, you will hear:
We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It is a free gift and we didn’t earn it and therefore can’t loose it.
God’s love for us does not ebb and flow with our behavior.
We are accepted in the Beloved.
I live my life by these truths…well most of the time.
Grace is amazing! But often, for my type A personality, the law has it appeals. Here me out.
The law says, “If I do…, God will do.” Therefore the law gives me this false sense of control. When God is not adhering to the ‘Melissa Bolden’s Timeline’, I want to take control so I have this tendency to revert to trying to earn God’s favor. I revert to the Law.
It’s an insidious lie that creeps up in times of stress. “I have to somehow earn God’s favor so that He will act on my behalf.”
The lie goes like this:
I prayed and the person was not healed…I need to pray and fast more often.
My bank account is dwindling…I need to give more to the church.
My child is wayward…I need to make more declarations.
My marriage is struggling…I need to worship more.
My speaking engagements are trickling in…I need to study His Word more.
In essence, if I do better, God will do better on my behalf.
Now you may be thinking, “All of those activities are good, biblical disciplines.” They are. But why are you doing them? Are you trying to earn God’s love? His favor? His provision? Because when we perform to get, we have reverted back to the law.
It’s a fine line that I find myself crossing when I am stressed, disappointed, or even jealous.
So what should we do when the person was not healed, our bank account is dwindling, our child is wayward, our marriage is struggling, the doors seemed to be closing?
“Rest!”
“What?”
“Yes, REST! Rest in his faithfulness. Rest in His Promises. Rest in your righteousness. Rest in knowing you are a favored son or daughter. Rest in knowing the cross was enough.”
And then respond to God’s goodness by praying and fasting, declaring, giving, worshiping, studying, however you are led by the spirit. Respond by reminding yourself that:
“You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You are loved. You are accepted. You are favored. Not because of what you do but because of His righteousness, His love, and His acceptance.”
My dear friends, if I can paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King, let me leave you with what the Holy Spirit is telling me: “Stick with GRACE. The Law is too great a burden to bear.”
“For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.”
Hebrews 4:10 NLT
