Growing in Grace and Dignity

 

We all have those things in life that won't change. No matter how hard we try. We adjust and tweak. Sometimes we pray and fast. We grapple with the wonder that God allows it, because it hurts. And its ongoing. How can a gracious God let something like "this" go on and on and on?

 We want to be honest before God. He is our Maker, after all. He is Mighty to save. He is the Changer and Healer. So we cry out all the ugly, nasty, and hard stuff to Him because ultimately He is the only One who can heal our broken places. We try to believe this and directly go there.

But there is a process in growing that sometimes takes time. Much too much time passes before we get joy and peace and answers. Often we talk to other broken humans for help first. Because there is the aspect of needing council and the encouragement of someone with skin on them. Someone who can touch you and give you a hug or kind words.

But only our Maker can be the One who clothes us with grace and dignity when it's the ugliest and messiest. And let me tell you, those two qualities are sadly lacking in our world of great big troubles today.

A lack of dignity and grace is what gets posted first on Instagram and all other social media platforms. It's what grabs the attention of the normal human. It's the easiest thing to feast your mind on. Most times, it's cloaked under the guise of someones dire situation. Often it is a truly sad story of mistreatment or physical problem. Sometimes it's drug abuse or racism or other human rights movements raising more awareness.

We are aware of the wrong things. We are so fixated on the problems and the gore, explaining why it happens and how it happens. It seems as if we don't want free of it. It's much more entertaining to explore the depth of despair to which something can go.

I've been thinking about this a lot in the last couple months. It has slowed my writing and postings way down because I am convicted with this: Is what I post beneficial? Not that all things have to be deep and full of Biblical meaning. I like a bit of a bubblegum read from time to time. I think a Christian writer should still write. But I think they should do it in such a way that it points to Jesus and not self. 

Sadly, I have done this thing for much of my life. I felt like my personal cross to bear was something too much for me. I needed to talk to my friends and ask them for help and encouragement. I wanted affirmation that I was doing it right. I thought I wanted out of my present difficulty and that surely someone could get me from there to here. I'm not even sure of all my motives.

 Honesty. That was one of them. I sought honesty and growth. Because I despise fake piety and cliches. I didn't want to be that person that said they were so thankful for all that they had but walked around drooping and acting pitiful. I thought that was my motive but at the very core of all that honesty was to look good and presentable. Or at least acceptable.

Where I found God's grace and dignity was when I saw that the only way to redeem or change the thing that seemed impossible to continue to live with was at the foot of the cross. I have a place I go. There Jesus says, "Look at me." There is so much dignity and self worth when I look at Jesus. Because He doesn't require anything but my broken heart and a willingness to listen to Him.

This past summer He gave me a vision of a waterfall. I told someone about my vision the next day and made them feel squirmy because I was still enraptured with God's glory. Here's the thing, It was okay they felt squirmy with my glow of Jesus. Because it wasn't about me. It was about what my Lord did for me.

 I was standing in the water under its fall. The water falling over me were words like: Complete, Chosen, Precious, Redeemed, Made Perfect, Enough...etc. Soon after this, my family took a boat trip up Lake Chelan and that very waterfall from my dream was there. As we stopped the boat and nosed up next to it, the water spray was glorious. Each drop of water again reminded me of those words God gave me.

We can tell these things. That is praising God and sharing what He does. I think too we can share our struggles and be honest with people. We should bare our hearts to a few confidential friends. This can be good. But first, I believe we should be going to that place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God. I think after taking our 'trial' or 'burden' there first we can say it to others with dignity and grace. It can be beneficial to others when our own pitiful thoughts are taken out of the equation.

Let me be specific. If we are always trying to make a joke about our insecurities, mentioning our problems in a way that makes people feel guilty for not knowing or reaching our better, and consistently bringing up the struggle so we gain recognition or encouragement, we are not being beneficial. That is just our natural self trying to feel better without really learning what dignity and grace are. That is just making exceptions to any real change. That is not growth. 

If we are serious about learning and growing in grace and dignity of our Lord, we will...

1. Not talk down on ourselves. We won't point out our faults to others. They already know and see them. They already love us anyway. They might love us less if we keep talking about our problems and issues as if God isn't doing something. God is making us and changing us to be who we ought to be. All the time.

2. We will not be pitiful or demanding or expect others to serve us. We will focus on God's goodness when the enemy tries to get us to feel sorry for ourselves. We will wait for God to move on the hearts of His people to give the amount of attention from others He deems needed for our hardship. Instead of expecting others to help us and encourage us we will look for ways to help and encourage others. No excuses. No matter your own difficulty, you can always find a way to reach out to others.

3. Growing in dignity and grace requires trusting God through every painful process. And a ton of patience. Processes are just that. They take steps and actions, choosing time after time to find the taste of God's goodness in the journey.

Psalm 34:8 KJV

O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.