Day 5 - Wherever You Are: Grace for Moms

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NLT)

“Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” (Galatians 2:16, NLT)

As I continued to defiantly reject condemnation and shame, I saw an unexpected result: The mercy I accepted from God began to more easily overflow out of me to my children and family. I was slower to anger and quicker to listen and forgive. God, the Word, and the Spirit changed me by changing the way that I thought (Romans 12:2).

All our striving and self-shaming cannot bring us victory. I love how Romans 8:3-4 reads in The Message:

“God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. . . . The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it.”

And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.

I don’t mean that we should ignore the Holy Spirit’s call to freedom or his power that allows us to overcome. But don’t misunderstand what Jesus died to give you. When he cried out from the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) and gave up his spirit, Jesus “finished” all the requirements for your salvation and for your identity as God’s child.

Sister-friend, you are accepted and on good terms with God—right now. It doesn’t matter if you get the laundry done today, lose your temper with your kids, or let them watch too much TV. Neither your failures nor your accomplishments have any effect on God’s approval of you. He is not waiting for you to “do better” before he considers you right with him. Choose, right now, to live with the faith that you are righteous because you have loved and accepted his Son.

Declare Out Loud over Yourself

• No matter what I do or don’t do today, I am accepted by God because of Jesus Christ (based on Galatians 2:16).

Declare Out Loud over Your Child

• No matter what [child’s name] does or doesn’t do today, they are accepted by God because of Jesus Christ.

Connect with Your Heavenly Father

• What is one (or more) thing(s) you’re thankful for? What is something you appreciate about who God is? Set a timer for one minute. Wherever you are, pause and rest in his presence.