Realistically Living the Graceful Life (And So Much For That Hiatus)

Hey, friends. At the end of Tuesday’s post, I said something about taking a little hiatus from blogging so I can recharge and get back into school.

 

However, I’m back for a few minutes today, because I had a few things to say.

Firstly, if you don’t see many new posts from me for the next few weeks, the break is the reason.

 

Secondly, Scattered Journal Pages has become the outpouring of my soul for the past year and a half, and it’s painful for me to take a break. So even though I’m technically on hiatus, I might not be. (See exemplification of this point in this post you’re currently reading.)

 

I wanted to share something that’s been on my heart these past few days. It’s about grace, and what it looks like to live gracefully. So much for that hiatus.

 

I talk a lot about grace on here. I do. You’ll notice that something I say frequently is that grace is what propels us to live well.

 

You’ll notice that I talk about messing up and being forgiven, about failing and being imperfect but grace covering us completely.

 

And do I believe all of that? Yes; with all of my heart. Grace is amazing, and not just because the hymn says so.

 

However, I never want to make light of sin, as if it’s no big deal.

 

I never want to make brokenness or filth something to admire.

 

I never want to make our imperfections “not matter” – because to do so would be to minimize the magnitude of God’s grace.

 

I never want to make authenticity about admitting to struggles and staying stuck in that place of desperation.

 

Because God has so much more for us.

 

It’s time that we accept the incredible grace of God and move forward in growth. It’s time that we put aside the sin that Christ saved us from and live in real freedom. Freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.

 

Sin’s a big deal, and that’s what makes grace a big deal.

 

But instead of staying in our places of brokenness, of seeking support groups when we could be seeking growth – let us move forward.

 

Let us move forward to where grace can lead – to a well-lived life of authentic freedom.

 

It’s easy to stay stuck in sin, and easy to not care because “grace has covered it.” But we must realize that there’s so much more to life than just being forgiven for mess-ups.

 

We can grow, we can thrive, we can embrace Jesus for all that He truly is – both our Savior, and our friend.

 

When I say that grace propels us to live well, this is exactly what I mean. I don’t mean take advantage of grace. I don’t mean exploit it. I don’t mean any of this, because to intentionally exploit grace is to cheapen it.

 

However, the “life-well-lived” part isn’t one that comes from legalism, it’s one that comes from the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

 

When we live gracefully, we’re walking by faith, and continually growing. In doing so, we attune our lives to the leading of the Holy Spirit, so we can live lives that are pleasing to God, and not in our own strength – but in His.

 

Because ultimately, this life is about Him. It’s about knowing Him, accepting Him, listening to Him, and ultimately glorifying Him in all of it.

 

And this is what life by grace looks like. It’s living in the Holy Spirit’s strength to move on from the very thing we’ve been set free from.

 

Grace is not an excuse, it’s an abundant blessing – one that we are to carry with us through every aspect of our lives.

 

So now’s when I try and convince you that I’m taking a “real” hiatus now, unless God puts more words on my heart again – which I definitely won’t complain about.

 

Writing about Jesus gives me life, and if I have to interrupt my own break to do that, I’m more than happy to.

 

You may see me writing these next few weeks, and you may not, and we’re just going to roll with it and let the Spirit lead.