GRACE- IT IS NECESSARY!

Ideas/Thots toward my lasts posts about DOES GOD LOVE THE GOOD GIRL?

Are you the prodigal son or daughter?

Do you identify with Sidney or with Sara?

The “wild girl” seems obvious.   The damage caused to self and others may be  physical, a sickness,  pregnancy, addictions,  or hard earned money now gone forever.  An ugly problem comes up   with possible negative side-effects which need to be dealt with.

The “good girl” reflects one who obeys and appreciates the rules set before her. Does anyone  want her to change? It seems to benefit everyone. Family, society, church. If she keeps the rules, everyone will be happy. Right.?

                                                              WRONG!!!

Without grace both girls look into the mirror only to see the reflection of an empty soul.

Neither one allows herself to walk in the Grace-Filled life God wants to sweep over her. Decisions need to be made. Sidney made that decision. She came home.  Sara,  like many “good girls” was unaware a decision even needs to be made.

What does this mean in my life?   IN  your life?

I grew up in a family where I was the “Good Girl”. I don’t blame anyone. It was what it was. I took the road the most comfortable for me, which was the listener. My books were my playmates.

I developed the attitude of PEACEMAKER. Don’t rock the boat.   I listened.

I went to college. Got a degree in Psychology because of course I had a good listening ear.   Still tried to keep the peace wherever I lived.

Eventually I got married and had two wonderful children.

I believe the listening ear, and enjoying books, eventually lead me to Love and Serve God  the way I do now.

God is so wonderful. He wants  relationship. He is not satisfied with a  GOOD GIRL servant.

I was unaware I lived under the Good Girl label. emily p. freeman’s book grace for the GOOD GIRL  revealed the  masks I picked for protection  🙁 Peacemaker, People-pleasing, looking for the smiles, Don’t rock the boat.

God’s love for me is constantly revealing His Care. Even at my age,  He still  says “Let’s dance a new dance”.   Slowly, lovingly He is working  through my life, peeling  off  protective layers. Living in grace is not always keeping my mouth shut. If I keep quiet out of fear I will be rejected, I’m telling the person in the mirror, I’m not important.

God says “No. Come and play.

If I say no to a request, am  I still a good person? Am I  still liked and needed?

Saying yes to jobs from a distorted fear can be tiring. Good girls may feel a need respond out of duty. How does one tell  the difference between the good girl who is doing the right thing  in fear of rejection and the the one who is responding out of grace? The actions can be the exact same thing. Answer-Motivation.  In this quote  from emily’s book, she gives a description revealing when walking in and through God’s Grace.= “Good girls see Jesus as someone to copy. Free women listen to the voice of his Spirit who dwells inside us”.

I am the older daughter finding her identity and freedom in Christ. It is not what I do. It is what Jesus did. I am justified through the faithfulness of Christ¹

The reality of this Grace pouring in me is a Life Long Dance.

                                                              I can bloom!

 

 

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. Galatians 2:20 MSG

Questions and comments are always welcome. We are all on this journey together.  I’m not completely finished, but I like what I see in the mirror.

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1 Reference to message given at Duluth Vineyard  GOOD NEWS ABOUT FREEDOM May 28-29, 2016.