One of the things that annoy me to no end is when my kids ask me to get them something repeatedly. I am not annoyed by the act itself because I want to give them anything they might need or want but what annoys me is HOW they ask me. 

It goes something like this: “I want a snack, snack, SNACK, SNACK.” In a chant. 

They are too busy chanting to even hear what I've said. I have to bend down to their level and tell them to stop chanting. I ask if they have even heard me, their answer is no. I tell them to ask me kindly, only one time, and to please listen for my answer. 

One day during this scenario, I thought this is probably why I can’t hear from God sometimes. I’m too busy chanting, “Comfort, Comfort, Comfort.” or “Why? Why? WHY?!”

I get too focused on my request that I can’t hear God answer me. He doesn’t yell over my chanting like I sometimes do to my own children. He bends down, cups my face in his hands and asks me, “Do you hear me? Let’s try this again.” He sent Jesus down to us, down to our level. He sees us in our need and answers us but we have to listen. 

His voice is still, small. 

Whenever I catch myself chanting my prayers like my daughters chant snack requests, I force myself to get quiet, to try again. To say my request and then listen for his response. He is always waiting, ready to meet my need for Him. He’s always there when my heart is ready to listen.  Just like He promises in his word.

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” 

What reminds you to stop and listen for God’s voice?

How To Share Your Passions

“She has fire in her soul and grace in her heart.”

Maybe you have seen this quote floating around social media. The first time I saw it was through a sponsored ad. It was stamped on a cuff and the moment I read it, it hit home with me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

I feel like it resonates with me because there are things that I feel passionately about. They feel like a fire in my soul and I want to share them with others and fight for them. But if I let that fire rage without grace, people will get burned. Which isn't my intention, I merely want to warm them up to a new idea.

Grace can stoke that fire. It's a lovely concept that is sometimes hard to grasp, especially for me. It’s something that God freely gives and expects us to extend to others, but how?

According to Merriam-Webster.com,

Grace is defined as “Free and unmerited favor," a “charming or attractive trait," “gracious kindness,” and “the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful.” 

That last definition really sums up what grace means. To extend grace, we need to be considerate. Then I looked up what considerate means (I like to be thorough in my understanding!) This is what the dictionary said,”thoughtful of the rights and feelings of others”. 

This grace that is considerate of others is what must be in the center of our heart. The heart is where our love comes from, our passions are channeled through whatever is in our heart. It's how our passions are expressed. It’s the core of where whatever message we share is coming from.

The Bible says that whatever we treasure, there our heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21) If what we treasure is to open people’s eyes to a new perspective and we want to share that with them because we genuinely love them, then that will show in grace. If we are coming from a place of just wanting to be right and bend the other person to our way of thinking, then that will come off as unloving, even hateful and people will get burned. 

I think that we can all be on this continuum between grace and fire. I know for me when I first become passionate about an issue, I’m all fire. Spewing out my passion and burning people in the process because I know without a doubt that I am right! I think everyone else needs to get on my level. Needless to say, that doesn’t change any minds and leaves me feeling alone, frustrated, angry, and burned by my own passions. 

Then, I swing to the other side of the continuum: all grace. I don’t share my passions anymore and become a doormat just agreeing with everyone or not speaking up if I have a different perspective. My fire slowly dies and I begin to think just about myself and my comforts. I am left feeling depressed and unfulfilled in my life. 

One day the swinging stopped when I saw someone else walking out their passions unafraid and sharing them in such a loving way that invited people in and did not burn them. It ignited a spark in me that quickly turned into a fire once again. Now I want to have both. A fire in my soul that ignites other’s passions and grace in my heart to speak the truth in love.

Where are you at on the fire and grace continuum? Is your fire warming people up or giving them burned?