This is on my heart for several of my friends today...straight from The heart:
I want you to know that before you even woke up this morning, you already had His attention. You didn't earn it; it's just there. Faithfully. And it isn't going away. You couldn't even make it go away if you tried.
Songs are sung over you. The real you that you are, which is more than the highest thoughts you have of yourself or anything you have tried to make of yourself. Yet even that is looked on with compassion.
I know you're wounded. I know that is why you have been doing what you have been doing -- the times you act out in fear and pride and doubt. I know. And I love you.
Because He.
Did you know that I don't blame you or hold anything against you? I know who you are. And I know that what you've been doing is unbecoming. It's not you.
And the more you behave the way you do, the more compassion I have on you. You must be parched for newness! Even when you hurt me, I only want to lavish you more...show you more kindness and grace -- not less. Because I know the grace I need from you for this new nature, this very Spirit of God to be wooed out of me. I need severe tenderness and patience when I am caught up in the flesh.
I want to love you and sit with you in whatever mess you're in, even if all we know at the time is bitterness and fear and inability to see past the brokenness.
Because He...oh He. I have seen His faithfulness. Day after day He empowers me with His love, making it spring up and make things new even when all I saw and all I felt was darkness and defeat.
I need help to believe that love. And when I believe it, impossible doesn't mean anything anymore.
And that grace...sweet grace. Can I ramble about it for a bit? About how it is constantly disarming, relieving, humbling, awakening
me.
You.
I know the battle over grace. I know that the thought of receiving more seems too daunting and humbling. I know how much sense it can make to put more trust in your track record than in the Spirit of the Living God. I know what it's like to be fearful of the thing you long for...how terrifying it seems before it is trusted. But once received, there is just delight. I don't know why there seem to be so many walls up against receiving. I don't know how something so small can hold back so much. But I know He tore the veil so we could know Him and His grace.
On this side of grace-received, dependence is my new favorite. I can't tell a difference between dependence and confidence. When I feel weak, I feel wooed. The very things that used to discourage me are now incisions where hope abounds. Because He. Now that I know who I am and how He sees me, criticism is not a threat anymore. Validation means something different since He showed me who I am. And vulnerability is not a cause for fear anymore. Whether I am opening myself up for rejection or acceptance, I am not disappointed because every.single.time He unfolds more of His love to me. He lets me receive grace from Him even when it is not given from others. No matter what, I can know the heart of the Lover.
I have confidence and hope not because of what I can see and feel right now but Because He. All my eggs are in His basket.
Dear heart, do you see that? Receiving His grace is the WAY to know Him because He is the Father who gives good gifts to His children and He has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom!
How great...how great is this God, this love, this consuming fire who wields grace for us as a weapon of holy war so we can realize and receive the great love He has for us. How great is this Spirit of Jesus who brought a new commandment for a new covenant -- to love one another as He has loved us.
And you know what? He does all the loving. From Him and to Him and through Him are all things. He is love and He is in us. It's already in you. Rest in Him and let Him live, expressing the realness of who He is through you. And remember His words -- after telling His dear ones how no brach can bear fruit by itself --
Remain in My love.
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God's love abides in us, and is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12
I want you to know that before you even woke up this morning, you already had His attention. You didn't earn it; it's just there. Faithfully. And it isn't going away. You couldn't even make it go away if you tried.
Songs are sung over you. The real you that you are, which is more than the highest thoughts you have of yourself or anything you have tried to make of yourself. Yet even that is looked on with compassion.
I know you're wounded. I know that is why you have been doing what you have been doing -- the times you act out in fear and pride and doubt. I know. And I love you.
Because He.
Did you know that I don't blame you or hold anything against you? I know who you are. And I know that what you've been doing is unbecoming. It's not you.
And the more you behave the way you do, the more compassion I have on you. You must be parched for newness! Even when you hurt me, I only want to lavish you more...show you more kindness and grace -- not less. Because I know the grace I need from you for this new nature, this very Spirit of God to be wooed out of me. I need severe tenderness and patience when I am caught up in the flesh.
I want to love you and sit with you in whatever mess you're in, even if all we know at the time is bitterness and fear and inability to see past the brokenness.
Because He...oh He. I have seen His faithfulness. Day after day He empowers me with His love, making it spring up and make things new even when all I saw and all I felt was darkness and defeat.
I need help to believe that love. And when I believe it, impossible doesn't mean anything anymore.
And that grace...sweet grace. Can I ramble about it for a bit? About how it is constantly disarming, relieving, humbling, awakening
me.
You.
I know the battle over grace. I know that the thought of receiving more seems too daunting and humbling. I know how much sense it can make to put more trust in your track record than in the Spirit of the Living God. I know what it's like to be fearful of the thing you long for...how terrifying it seems before it is trusted. But once received, there is just delight. I don't know why there seem to be so many walls up against receiving. I don't know how something so small can hold back so much. But I know He tore the veil so we could know Him and His grace.
On this side of grace-received, dependence is my new favorite. I can't tell a difference between dependence and confidence. When I feel weak, I feel wooed. The very things that used to discourage me are now incisions where hope abounds. Because He. Now that I know who I am and how He sees me, criticism is not a threat anymore. Validation means something different since He showed me who I am. And vulnerability is not a cause for fear anymore. Whether I am opening myself up for rejection or acceptance, I am not disappointed because every.single.time He unfolds more of His love to me. He lets me receive grace from Him even when it is not given from others. No matter what, I can know the heart of the Lover.
I have confidence and hope not because of what I can see and feel right now but Because He. All my eggs are in His basket.
Dear heart, do you see that? Receiving His grace is the WAY to know Him because He is the Father who gives good gifts to His children and He has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom!
How great...how great is this God, this love, this consuming fire who wields grace for us as a weapon of holy war so we can realize and receive the great love He has for us. How great is this Spirit of Jesus who brought a new commandment for a new covenant -- to love one another as He has loved us.
And you know what? He does all the loving. From Him and to Him and through Him are all things. He is love and He is in us. It's already in you. Rest in Him and let Him live, expressing the realness of who He is through you. And remember His words -- after telling His dear ones how no brach can bear fruit by itself --
Remain in My love.
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God's love abides in us, and is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12
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