His
grace is not a “thing”. It is not a something to be used. His grace is the
presence of the Holy Spirit empowering us in our weakness. His grace meets us
right where we are, and He loves us right where we are. His change is a spiritual
healing, and it is a process. If we yield to this spiritual transformation, He
is with us each step of the way. “Not only will God and His grace be with you
in every step of the healing process, but God will be pleased with you at every
step of the process,” David Seamands writes in Healing of Damaged Emotions.
“Grace is not a commodity but our Lord Himself coming to us in His
graciousness. A loving gracious God accepts us as we are, offers Himself lovingly
to us right here and now, not when we shape up.” When we yield to His grace, He
is with us in our weakness. Our weakness invites His power to empower and bring
change.
We can
become so frustrated when we don’t change fast enough. “God is as pleased with
you in this process as loving parents when their child starts to walk,”
Seamands continues. “Those are exciting days in a home, especially with the
first child–the child stumbles, knocks over the furniture. But do the parents
scold him, tell him how displeased they are because he isn’t doing a perfect
job? Does Dad shout ‘You ought to do better than that, kid’? Does Mother chime
in with, ‘That sure was a stupid step you took; no wonder you fell and hurt
yourself’? Do you see how we so often have made God into a neurotic parent? If
Jesus were preaching His Sermon on the mount, He might paraphrase this idea.
‘If you being evil, know how to do that well when teaching your child to walk,
how much more will the heavenly Father be pleased with every step in your
healing process?’ (Matthew 7:11). God will be pleased with you every step of
the way.”
We are
a reflection of all that surrounds us. As children we learned to see ourselves
through our parents’ eyes, and reached to meet their expectations. As we grew
we learned our identity from the relationships we had with other people. We
reflected what other people thought of us. Now God wants us to reflect who He
says we are, and not what we have perceived others think we should be. Yes, God
calls us to live a holy life. Yes, He gives power when we are weak. He knows
change is a process, and He is with us in it!
That is the living breathing grace of His presence.
Some of
us strive to live up to what we feel God wants for us, and are actually
reaching to meet expectations that are not from Him. Perhaps they are
misconceptions of that reflection of our childhood, and God is attempting to
breathe His grace into our strife. We can never live up to the impossible
expectation that He has not placed upon us. He wipes off the false expectations
of our lives, and offer us a new slate to begin the process.
David
Seamands suggests a prayer. “’Thank you, Lord, that you are healing me according
to your perfect schedule.” You can turn the process of change not into another
failure or anger at your slow progress, but into a prayer of thanksgiving for
His graciousness every step of the way! Be committed and be diligent to seek God
and grow in His grace. Never despair when you climb two steps, and slide back
one step. Remember it is a process, and He is healing and transforming you
according to His perfect schedule. Here is your promise. “Let perseverance
finish its work,” James writes, “so that you may be mature and complete, not
lacking anything” (James 1:4, NIV). His grace will destroy the false
reflections that have defined who you are, and you will see His reflection of
the person He has destined you to become.
© 2017
Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2018/04/change-is-a-process.html
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