Abandonment. Obedience. Grace

"The road to becoming such a person - a child of light - involves abandoning everything to God: what others think of us, what others' harmful motives might be, fears about what others might do to us, hopes for getting ahead. We come to truly believe that God "knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it." (1 Peter 4:19, MSG)" -Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice by Jan Johnson

Abandonment:

For years I heard people talk about living a life of abandonment to God. I read scripture about abandonment to God. I thought I was living a life of abandonment to God, but I was not. I liked to think that I was giving God everything but I was giving everything to God on a leash - with hesitancy. I didn't fully trust and believe that a life of abandonment was everything scripture said it was. Free. 

Six years ago I was blessed with a beautiful son who gave me the privilege of becoming a mother. Becoming a mom was such a beautiful gift in and of itself but I also received another gift - a spiritual journey that will continue until I meet Jesus in heaven. Honestly, I did not view this journey as a gift six years ago but today I know it is the most beautiful gift the Lord could lavish upon me. After becoming a mother and struggling with a lot of "new mom" things as well as some depression I knew the Lord was calling me to not only offer my life to God but live my life in Him. That is abandonment. When we say, "Lord, I give you all of me. Help your words to be my words. Your actions to be my actions. Your thoughts to be my thoughts. May everything I do be pleasing to you." There is freedom in a life of abandonment to the Lord.

Obedience:

As I have traveled the road of abandonment the Lord has been teaching me the beauty of obedience. Listening and being attentive to his Holy Spirit. You know when God continues to bring a person to mind but you keep displacing it because you are too busy to pray and you think they would say you were crazy for giving them a call? That is the Holy Spirit speaking to you and He calls us to heed His call. To obey Him. I have missed so many blessing, for others and myself, because I was insecure about the voice of the Holy Spirit. God does not call us to obey Him to live a life of rigid rules. He calls us to live a life of obedience so we stay on His course - not missing the beauty and intention of the life He created for us. There is freedom in a life of obedience to the Lord.

Grace:

I have found that as I abandon myself (daily - I am still human living in a  fast paced world of temptations and chaos) and obey the Lords commands He fills my soul with grace. I am NOT perfect yet I AM more gentle. I am not as quick to speak (notice - "as" - I still struggle here) nor am I as quick to anger. Rather, I am quick to turn to Jesus and quick to listen to His Holy Spirit. As I continue to grow He continues to wrap me in His grace. How beautiful is that? 

Human hearts can not orchestrate the ability to abandon our souls, obey with our hearts, and overflow with God's grace. Only God can take you on this journey. It is not complicated. 

It begins with a TRUE DESIRE each day when we say,

 "Oh Lord, I abandon myself to you. Help me to obey your commands. Fill me with your grace and let it be evident to all around."