Grace Like Rain

Grace like rain: what does that mean to me?

Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God.

Rain comes freely and unexpectedly from God as a blessing for the land that He created.  It gives life.

This world is full of storms and trials but God's grace pours out on us like rain so that we can learn to dance in the rain during the storms.  

How do we dance in the rain of God's grace.  

LOVE

What does that look like?

• dinner for a friend who is going through a storm
• listening to a stranger who is struggling
• pausing life to pray with or for someone
• taking time every morning to listen to God and ask how He wants you to love that day
• asking for forgiveness from a friend, child or stranger
• sharing our brokenness and vulnerability  
• forgiving a friend, child, or stranger
• understanding or being ok with not understanding someone else's storm but being there anyways
• no expectations

God's love is perfect and perfect love has no fear. (good song)I don't have to wonder if God is going to love me:

• when I mess up and don't get my kid to the bus for his track meet on time.
• when I yell at my husband or kids because I am tired or exhausted.
• when I ignore God's voice because I am too tired, too overwhelmed or just because I don't want to do what He's asking at the time.
• when I doubt His provision in doing the hard.
• when I avoid a neighbor or stranger just because I don't want to slow down long enough to listen.
• when I don't forgive easily.

God's love is perfect and His grace is free and I don't have to earn it.

This concept is so opposite of what this world tells us that it is a daily battle to listen to God and to love unconditionally with the grace that He loves us.  

This weekend when I did mess up and my 13 year old son missed the bus because I did not read the entire email from the coach therefore missing the time change, he forgave me and most definitely showed me the grace that I did not deserve.  It was 100% my fault and I felt horrible but he did not hold it over my head and make me feel worse for it, he forgave me.  And yes, now it is has become an ongoing joke but that is ok because I accepted his forgiveness and love.  

I have also accepted God's grace and love.  I know that I am not perfect but He is!  I also know that these moments of my failure that God will not fail them.  These little things help prepare this momma's heart for the bigs things that might happen.  They help me to sit in God's love and grace for not only me but for my kids and family and friends and strangers in this world that is full of trials and pain.

Grace Like Rain is so much more to me than the ministry that I run only through the grace of God who loves me perfectly.  It is how I can walk through this life here on earth. (Another great song) It's how I can dance and see joy!  God's love is perfect and his grace is free.  Jesus went to the cross for us to ensure that we did not have to earn a thing!  I want to share this grace with everyone!  I want to love the best that I can because of Him and I want to encourage those around me to do the same!  Am I perfect at it....no, but I don't have to be!  God's love is perfect and His grace comes like the rain!

This podcast really spoke to me today as I listened to it: http://jenhatmaker.com/episode-06-glennon-doyle.htm