Monday Morning Makeovers explore shedding the proverbial weight–whether it’s the extra we lug on our bodies or the baggage of the soul. Today we ask the question: What does your heart treasure?
Free to Flourish
Monday Morning Makeovers explore shedding the proverbial weight–whether it’s the extra we lug on our bodies or the baggage of the soul. Today we ask the question: What does your heart treasure?
Drink deeply of grace. Let His spirit bubble over and through you. Refresh you. Make you new. Photo of Stephen Moldenhauer, taken by Caleb Linville
“God did not run out of grace at the dawn of mankind. And He will not run out of grace for you or for me . . . Receive grace and let it wash away all shame and guilt form every unhealthy choice you’ve regretted and fretted over.” Lysa TerKeurst*
May was an incredible month for us, the season of the marriage our of beautiful Sarah to our new son-in-law, David. But challenges often come at the same time as incredible blessing, and soon after the wedding I faced a difficulty and I whined pretty loudly at God. Let’s be honest. I threw a fit.
David and Sarah dance. Photo by Creative Pixel Photography.
Throwing a fit mad me really mad at myself. The Lord had done amazing, miraculous, tender, sweet things for me and my family around Sarah’s wedding. I’m not sure I’ve ever known a time of such pure joy! He was SO good to them, to us, to me. And there I was a week later yelling at Him.
Geesh!
As I drove down the road I thought, “I wonder how God feels about how I treated Him after He was SO good to me.”
Then I knew.
He simply accepted me where I was. His grace covers me. His love pours over me. There are no walls. No condemnation. No pouting. As Lysa wrote, “This grace and the unfathomable depth of God’s love settle me. Breathes hope into my dread and trust into my doubts.”
Whether I’m stumbling on the general journey of life or the specific journey of losing physical and emotional weight, His grace covers my imperfections, my pettiness, my faults and failings. I don’t have to give into shame.
I don’t have to wallow in disappointment.
I don’t have to punish myself.
I can simply be.
Lean hard into His grace.
And start again.
And so that night I slipped off to bed telling God how much I love Him. Thanking Him for the many gifts. Asking for self-control in the area of my mind so that negative thoughts don’t boil up and sabotage the myriad of good gifts I can embrace. I ask Him to help me not give into temptation to further sin.
Every moment I can start fresh. Walking forward as whole, beautiful, clean, and forgiven. Step into victory and away from defeat.
How about you?
What does shame do to your forward movement?
How does grace impact it?
Can you believe (fully, deeply, truly) that you are accepted and loved right now and always, just as you are? Why or why not?
*The Made to Crave Devotional
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Holy Spirit, be the Water of my life. May I be refreshed by you, surrendering to the flow of your life-giving current. (Photo by Stephen Moldenhauer)
Wow. Urgency, firmness, resolve, consistency . . . I had no idea perseverance packed such a punch!
Perseverance is a good word for me today. I’m emotionally and physically drained. We’ve had some stuff, but in the long run all will be well.
In the long run.
Perseverance.
Meanwhile I face a new struggle with my weight loss and health goals. I’ve come so far and while the products I’m taking have greatly helped me on this journey, I’ve still worked pretty hard. My daughter’s wedding is roughly a month out, and I’d love to shave off that last bit in the tummy before buying that mother-of-the-bride dress. But honestly, I’m tempted to settle.
I’m weary of persevering, and I’m catching myself returning to old habits. Not full blown stress eating, but justifying mindless eating because I’m just so tired.
Where is the urgency, resolve, consistency I felt earlier in the journey? Would I toss all that now?
Everyday I experience the joy of ease of movement, of a normal feeling body, of being the real me in a physical sense.
The journey is WORTH it.
What about you, my friend? Do you have urgency, resolve, and consistency?
Perseverance?
If not, wanna turn where I’m turning?
Father,
Today I am weak. I don’t want to quit. Give me what it takes to persevere. I’m tired and don’t want to think about the weight loss journey today, but I also don’t want to turn back. I’ve come too far. And Lord, I’m thinking of weight, but I’m also thinking of the other difficult areas in my life, the other places I’ve persevered. Give me what it takes not to give up. Give me a renewed sense of urgency, firmness, resolve, and consistency.
And Lord, I pray for each one visiting my blog today. I ask the same for them. Give us focus. Wills of steel that are resolved to follow you on the weight loss journey. Thank you that, as Lysa TerKeurst said, that You love us where we are, but You love us too much to leave us stuck in a place of defeat. Move us forward. Give us hearts that surrender to Your prompting. Make us strong women who follow boldly. God, we depend on your strength.
What About You?
How did the above concepts hit you? Where do you see Protection, Provision, Progess in your journey? How about firmness, consistency, and resolve?
In the Made to Crave Devotional Lysa TerKeurst says, “a scale can measure my physical body but never my worth as a woman.” How do you respond to that statement?
*The above thoughts prompted by Lysa TerKeurst’s Made to Crave devotional.