Full. Satisfied. Filled to the top with favor and overflowing.
A gift that’s unearned. Underserved. And just plain surprising.
And He says it’s sufficient–that it’s enough.
No more looking around and longing to be satisfied.
No more longing for significance or worth or wishing to belong.
No more coveting what’s not ours and hanging our heart in sadness.
It’s enough, this gift.
The question is, will we take it?
He’s holding it out to us and it’s free … it’s free AND it satisfies.
And we think we’ve accepted it, but still insist on our own way. Determined to pave our path and force our view. Sure we’re smart enough to pull it all off, and ignorant enough to try.
That was me at the pinnacle of my foolishness. And what followed was needless pain. Suffering over choices that didn’t have to be, but were, because I rejected the gift.
I thought I took it. I thought I knew all about it. I’d shared it with so many others, telling them how it’s free and how it’s theirs and how it’s enough.
But the thing is, until I needed it, until I was desperate for it, I didn’t understand how to take it in. Not fully. Not way down in the deepest crevices of my pain.
But when I did, it kept pouring in … this grace that filled every broken place in me, until I was full to overflowing.
Grace. FULL.
That’s what He did for me.
And it’s what He’ll do for you, too.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Have you fully accepted the grace of our God?
Are you full to overflowing?
I’m joining Lisa-Jo, over at her site today, to take five minutes and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. The challenge is to write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing, with the prompt she gives. And today, her prompt:
Graceful…
I love the imagery in the photo you chose! I am so thankful for God’s abounding Grace, and I was encouraged by your words!
Oh my gosh…this is SO me: ”
but still insist on our own way. Determined to pave our path and force our view. Sure we’re smart enough to pull it all off, and ignorant enough to try.”
Jacque, this is an amazing post. Thank you for sharing today!
Hope we can meet in person #allume!
Maryhttp://memyselfandmercy.blogspot.com/
I LOVE this, Jacque! I’ve so been there and identify with every word. Thanks for such a lovely post!
Jacque, visiting from Lisa Jo’s,friend. I am filled with reminder after beautiful reminder from my sisters of the beautiful mystery of Grace. Thank you for sharing your words are a lovely song of praise.
Jacque…beautiful…yes…me too…until I realized I needed grace…was I really willing to receive grace…and until I received it…I could not give it…now I do think is flows more freely…and I am thankful the well is so deep and never runs dry…blessings to you~
Beautiful post! So thankful for grace…
Oh mylanta — amen to all of this.
I’ve been looking for 20 years to find it. The loophole to this scandalous love affair He’s offered me. And I can’t find one. You encourage me to stop looking and simply accept it. allow Him to add graceful to my name….
So thrilled to have met you last night via the FMFParty and look forward to getting to know through this incredible community!!
Thank you Jolene! It seemd to fit… bubbling up and spilling over without end…that’s grace! So thankful you stopped in 🙂
So glad I’m not alone! And YES…I will see you at allume, absolutely 🙂
Thank you Jamie, it was so nice to meet you at She Speaks…sure wish we would have had more time to chat. Thank you for your kind words and visiting me here 🙂
Isn’t this community amazing? Such hearts full of beauty in Him! Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement!
Yes, I can really relate to not being able to generously give grace until needing it so badly and choosing to receive it. Isn’t it amazing how our own failure gives us the capacity to love others and lavish grace. For that, I AM thankful for my failings, because I wouldn’t be who I am without it. Praise to Him for taking my broken pieces and choosing to make them beautiful! I long for that for others too!! Love you, friend!
Thank you Stephanie, so glad you stopped in…wish we could have chatted more at She Speaks! Have a wonderful weekend!
It IS a scandalous love affair and He’s swept me off my feet! And yes, what a gift to have met you there! Blessings to you, Nikki!
How did you know to speak my heart as well?? Jacque, this is exquisite trueness. You speak the frailty of so many, and the resounding truth of ONE.
Your comment on my site enlisted a novel of confessed fear, and I thank you for your words of wisdom. Your prayers. Your urging of my still faith. Oh I don’t know how to say thank you for all of that and more. I’m so happy you were at the #fmfparty last night. I cannot wait for more of that kind of fellowship.
Thank you for the words above. From your heart drips sincere gentleness.
You’re welcome.
Yes, I wish we had more time at She Speaks. Will you be at Allume? If so, maybe we could grab a few minutes to chat.
Enjoy your Friday:)
Oh Leigh, thank you, I just love your heart!
Yes, I’ll be there! Can’t wait!
Great! Looking forward to seeing you then:))
And we think we’ve accepted it but keep trying to do our own thing being foolish enough to try. Yes! It’s so hard to understand, but you know it when it comes. Your grace gift is being able to share this with only five minutes of writing. I’m both grateful and astonished. Thank you!
Thank you Amy! My 5 min happens after simmering the word awhile, thinking, pondering, pre-writing in my head…no need for astonishment! So thankful you stopped by!