Laced With Grace

O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee; be thou their arm every morning our salvation also in the time of trouble.
Isaiah 33:2

Divorce.

Substance abuse.

Addiction.

Hardship.

Loss of a loved one.

Conflict.

Devastation.

Debt.

Life can be difficult to maneuver. There are roadblocks we encounter that seem much larger than our human selves. Sometimes we wonder if we’ll ever be able to get through (or around) whatever it is that stands in our way. After all, we are but one person.

And yet, if we are a person of God, we are never truly alone. We are never without an ally. We are never standing solely on our own two feet. God lends us His grace. He brings us His strength. He offers us His protection.

Life may be hard, but we are far from alone. The following prayer is one I cling to more often than not (author unknown):

O Lord,
In this time of need, strengthen me. You are my strength and my shield; You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. I know, Father, that Your eyes go to and fro throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts long for You. The body grows weary, but my hope is in You to renew my strength.

I do not fear, for You are with me.

I am not dismayed or overwhelmed, for You are my God. I know You will strengthen me and help me; that You will uphold me with Your righteous hand. Even as the shadows of illness cover me, I feel the comfort of Your strength, Or Lord.
Amen.

May the Lord provide us with His strength and mercy in our time of need.

At my grandmother’s funeral, the priest asked us, “When God feels far away, ask yourself this: ‘Who moved?’ for I can assure you the answer is not God.”

Sometimes, when we are lost, we turn away from God. Sometimes we WANT to turn towards Him, but are lost at how to do so.

I recently found a prayer that voices my thoughts and feelings during the times when I feel I have left God behind and need to pull myself closer to my anchor.

Prayer of Thomas Merton
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me
Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
Does in fact please you.
And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road
Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though,
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
And you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.

The next time you feel as if God has left your side, ask yourself, “Who has moved?” Because I can assure you, the answer is not “God.”

I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 NLT

Lord,

We ask You to remind us how to draw near You when we have distanced ourselves from Your grace. Remind us to trust in You, even when we feel there is a risk in getting let down. You always save us. You always catch us when we fall. You are always there for us, we just have to reach for You and pull You into our hearts. Remind us that You have not left us, we simply need to move closer.

This we ask in Jesus’ name.

When you feel far from God, how do you draw yourself back to Him?

Sometimes, no matter how difficult things get, we need to focus on the good. We have to remember the blessings God has brought into our lives and we need to trust that our path is just as He intended it to be.

With God is my salvation and my honor. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out our hearts before him. God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:7-8 WEB

We need to trust in Him. We need to put aside our own wants, needs and desires and look at nothing other than the love and devotion God has for each and every one of us. We have to tap into the strength He gives to us. He wants us to make it. He wants us to survive. He wants us to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Regardless of your addiction, whether it be drugs, alcohol or simply doing too much, He wants you to come to Him.

Be glad that you are his; let those who seek the Lord be happy. Depend on the Lord and his strength ; always go to him for help.
1 Chronicles 16:10-11 NCV

Life gets tough. It’s not meant to be easy all the time.

But He is always there. He is always available to us. He is always cheering us on and helping us get from point A to point B. And He asks us to do the same for others. Open the door for someone with a stroller. Pay for a stranger’s coffee. Babysit for a mom you know needs a moment for herself. Walk a dog at your local shelter, just because.

Take a moment out of each and every day to show God that you want to do His work. Take the time to iron your husband’s shirt for him or leave a kind note out for your wife. Give your child an extra hug and word of encouragement before they head out the door for the day. Rock your baby long after he/she falls asleep. Let the dog on the couch, just for one nap.

Be kind. Be loving. Be a friend.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:12-13 WEB

Now, I’m not asking you to lie down your life, I’m simply asking you to open it up to others, as God has opened it up to us.

Lord,

Help us to give encouragement and joy in all those who we cross paths with on this day. Remind us of the gifts You have given to us and help us to pass them on to others. We owe our lives to you. You are our faith. You are our strength. Help us pass that on to those in need.

This we ask in Jesus’ name.

How do you act as Jesus would act towards you?