Receiving Grace

There's a girl in my life who just won't cut me slack.

I try hard and she says, "Not good enough."

I put on my cutest outfit and she whispers, "Nice, but not as good as hers."

I mess up and take a tumble in life and she smirks, "I knew you couldn't do it."

Who is this girl? I know you'd like to email her and tell her to stop being so mean to me, right?

I'd like to do the same for any mean girls in your life.

So here's the secret identity of mine...get your emails ready. It's me.

Yep, I'm my own worst critic. Maybe you too?

People say, "Give yourself grace." Yep, sounds good. I've even tried it. It just doesn't work. I think that's because we're never meant to give ourselves grace. It's not about just saying, 

"That's okay. It doesn't matter."

It's not about giving ourselves grace. Instead it's about receiving grace from God. That sounds more like, "Yes, I messed up. But I'm forgiven. And this is about what I did--it's not who I am. I am still a loved, chosen, cherished daughter of the King. I'm going to get back up and stand tall for Him again."

Only grace can change the voice within us that pushes us toward burnout. Only grace can reach out and embrace us so that we come back to where we belong again. Only grace tells us the truth about who we are.

Whew.

It's time to quiet ourselves and instead listen to truth again.

Shhh...what do you hear?