What’s holding you back?

It’s no secret that I love the book of Romans.  Personally, I feel that God and I continue to have beautiful conversation when I am still and listening to His Spirit inspired words in this book.  Recently, I have seen some of my favorite verses popping up all around me.  In conversations, devotions, social media,  and in prayer with friends.  And here I am this morning reflecting on this verse in particular. Romans 8: 1-4 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

This sequence of words that God speaks to us through Paul are freeing.  There is NO condemnation because through JESUS our Messiah we have been set free from the law of sin and death. Now this is how I have come to define and understand grace. But I often wonder if I offer my offenders this same type of grace.  In Romans 12: 1-2 God tells us to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. We are urged, by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship. Are we living our lives showing grace?  And if not, what are we waiting for?  

I am 21 (with 29.5 years of experience). And in my 50 short years on this beautiful big green earth I have learned that this place is packed with all types of people. I have been shown grace by many and have given grace to many as well.  If I am being honest there are some people that it's been easier to set them free from a wrong.  And then there are those that I have held onto their malpractice because I just can't seem to move past the transgression.  I ask myself this question, "What's holding you back?", all the time.  So, what is holding me back?   Bitterness, hurt, pride, and envy to name a few.  The Holy Spirit often whispers, "Do not be conformed to this world".  Each of those emotion that hold me back are just making my beautiful world a bit foggy.  I must be transformed, by the grace of God.  I need to capture my thoughts and bring those foggy feelings to the Lord.  Every time the bitterness from a situation comes into my head I need to turn it to betterness.  When I am reminded of a hurtful situation I must rejoice in the refinement process.  And when pride and envy rear their ugly heads, it time to be still before my Heavenly Father and remember that there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  If I want to continue to call myself a follower of Christ I must live like Christ lived.  I don't have the prerogative to choose who gets grace, forgiveness and God's unmerited favor.  No, I must treat EVERYONE in the manner of love, respect and grace that I selfishly expect.  It doesn't matter if I am twenty-one, fifty, seventy-five, or turning ninety-nine I have to be willing to change my heart and be set apart. 

Today is a great day to reflect on how often God has blessed us with His unmerited favor.  I can almost guarantee you that I might already have a list of transgressions forming just from the four hours I have been awake today.  I am not perfect.  We all have our moments.  But it's how we decide to handle these offensive moments that really develops our faith walk.  My prayer is, that the next time we chose to talk negatively about or towards someone, that the Holy Spirit will swoop in and grab our tongues for a moment and twist the negativity until we are reminded of God's overwhelming grace.  I pray that our heart and minds are set on the blessings.  And that we may learn to live in peace and harmony with each other.  And that we would daily attempt to mirror God's reckless love towards those that have hurt, embittered or rejected us.  There's nothing we can do to earn God's favor.  So, we shouldn't invoice others when it's time for us to show grace.