Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Have you ever felt completely spent? Like you have nothing left in the tank to give? And the energy you do have you use to just get yourself out of bed in the morning! You’re living life to the full but you are continually left feeling empty and drained.
I have been there too many times than I would like to admit. Cramming my life full to overflowing with things like family, work, friends, church, study…and then there’s all those unexpected things that pop up seemingly out of nowhere; illness, appointments, crisis, work trips…
Just writing the list makes me feel a little nauseous.
I wonder what your life looks like right now? Are you feeling completely spent already or maybe you can you see that you are headed in that direction?
I have often tried to cut things out of my life to achieve some kind of balance, and sometimes that is necessary, but Jesus shows us a way to live life to the full without becoming empty!
We can live in the unforced rhythms of grace.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (msg)
When we are worn out and burned out trying to achieve everything in our own strength, Jesus invites us to learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
How do we enter the unforced rhythms of grace and live within this beautiful invitation?
Come to Him – Jesus says that if we come to Him then we will recover our life and He will give us a real rest!! Who else is in desperate need of a real rest? Simply come to Jesus and sit in His presence, allow His grace, His enabling power, to wash over you and strengthen you. Find somewhere quiet and take time to just be and breathe deeply of His love for you.
We are too busy NOT to come to Him for rest.
Walk and work with Him – It is from this place of coming and resting in Him that gives us all we need to walk and work with Him. So often I have found myself trying to work for Jesus, I serve Him, I study my Bible, I look after my family and friends well, I give to the needy. Jesus doesn’t want us to work for Him but to work with Him. Watching how He does it in the ease of His Father’s strength. We are called to walk with Jesus who carries our burdens, as we live in the ease of His grace and strength.
It’s the stunning grace of Jesus that allows us to live freely and lightly.
This is the unforced rhythms of grace – continually coming in to His rest and going out in His grace.
If you, like me, struggle with feeling worn out and completely spent – position yourself today in the unforced rhythms of grace. Enter His rest, walk and work with Him – Keep company with Jesus and you will live in the slipstream of his unforced grace.
I pray this would be the rhythm of our lives.
Elise Heerde is a wife, mother, teacher and writer from Melbourne who loves Jesus and passionately shares about the grace, hope and love that He offers to all.
She deeply desires to see the broken made whole, the captives set free and the lost brought home.
She found freedom from long-term depression and anxiety in Jesus and now dedicates her life to empowering and inspiring others to live in the freedom that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus.
Elise has a Diploma in Ministry and is currently studying her Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies.
