May 14, 2012

Exhale

OK, it's time for Theology 101--a la YouTube!

I saw this video (below) on Facebook a few months ago. It's humorous, but it also expresses the deep and sometimes mind-boggling concept of grace.

I'm a perfectionist (surprised?) As a teenager, I struggled furiously with the idea of God's grace. Me, a fundamentally flawed person? Good enough only because of Jesus? I wanted to work hard enough, perform well enough, prove to God that I deserved His approval--as if God carried around a cosmic clipboard where I could earn His love if I just got enough check marks. I'd rather not be indebted to that guy Jesus. I'll do it myself, thank you very much. Sometimes I got the puffed-up feeling I was doing pretty well at God's game. Other times I was crushed beneath the weight of total inadequacy, failure, and self-loathing.

Maybe it was life experience, maybe tiredness, maybe the spirit of God catching up with my stubborn soul. But there came a day, my shoulders scrunched tight from trying to stand tall enough, when I realized I could exhale. Because Jesus paid it all. I read in Romans 8 that God has no condemnation for those who are in Jesus--that He keeps no cosmic clipboard, no record of check marks or failures. His son's love is the amazing eraser of "good enough." And that discovery was the relief of my life.




How have you experienced grace? From God? From other people? 

4 comments:

  1. Love the video. Grace is also something I've struggled with for years. I was raised under legalism, and when I didn't perform the best, I received human disappointment, which equated to God's disappointment. It took a long time for me to separate the two. I can't say I consciously experience grace every day, though I like to think I have moments.

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    1. Totally true--I have "moments" too :) Thanks for weighing in. I read a book called "Grace for the Good Girl" (Emily P. Freeman) that was helpful.

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  2. Wonderful reminder of my need and His grace! The video brought tears to my eyes...It amazes me that the most difficult part is to accept my need for grace. Once that is set in motion, accepting His grace is like refreshingly cool water washing over us on a very, very hot, dry day!

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    1. So true! Funny that the best free gift in the world is the hardest to accept...

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