When I'm caught up thinking I need to do something to earn God's favor, get some blessings, or get into that 'sweet spot' where my Christian life will 'really' go great, I only get run down and frustrated. That kind of thinking leads to spiritual burnout, and I've definitely been there! But when I'm caught up in His love and the complete nature of Jesus' work on the cross, seeing that I'm already set for eternity and nothing can change that, I relax. I am drawn to just enjoy my dear Savior. I am able to accept myself and others. This kind of thinking leads to pure joy!
So I was comparing these two lines of thinking lately, and these are some thoughts that came to me:
Law thinking tells me I'm bad, bad, bad.
Grace thinking tells me I'm good with the goodness of Christ!
Law thinking causes me to be self-focused.
Grace thinking causes me to be Son-focused.
Law thinking makes me realize I can never measure up, and I feel depressed.
Grace thinking makes me see He measured up for me, and I feel elated!
Law thinking always demands.
Grace thinking always frees.
Law thinking adds burdens.
Grace thinking removes burdens!
Law thinking causes me to judge myself and others, too.
Grace thinking causes me to accept myself and others, too.
Law thinking means I'm always noticing the bad in me and others.
Grace thinking means I'm able to see the good in me and others.
Law thinking causes me to despair of ever living the Christian life.
Grace thinking causes me to rejoice because He's already living the Christian life IN me!
Law thinking makes me feel I'm never good enough.
Grace thinking lets me know He's good enough, and so am I IN Him!
Law thinking causes me to feel distant from God.
Grace thinking causes me to feel intimate with God!
Law thinking makes me pull away from God in fear.
Grace thinking makes me cuddle up in Daddy's lap because I'm secure!
Law thinking makes the Christian life seem so hard.
Grace thinking makes the Christian life so flowing and easy!
Law thinking is the mind set on self-effort, and it's death.
Grace thinking is the mind set on the Spirit, and it's life and peace.
Law thinking makes me feel I'll never please God.
Grace thinking shows me I'm already pleasing to God through Christ!
Law thinking makes me feel unworthy.
Grace thinking makes me feel worth something, worth Jesus' dying for me!
Law thinking screams guilty, condemned, punished!
Grace thinking whispers forgiven, accepted, blessed!
Law thinking is used by Satan to accuse me.
Grace thinking is used by the Spirit to affirm me!
Law thinking makes me feel God is an impossible judge.
Grace thinking show me God is a loving Father!
Law thinking makes me think that God is all about performance.
Grace thinking lets me know that God is all about unconditional love!
Law thinking makes me feel everything must be earned.
Grace thinking reminds me everything is a gift.
Law thinking says work, work, work.
Grace thinking says rest, rest, rest.
Law thinking makes me feel I need to DO more.
Grace thinking shows me Jesus has already DONE it all!
Law thinking causes me to withdraw from interacting with God.
Grace thinking causes me to be drawn to worship, talk to Him, and enjoy His presence!
Law thinking causes me to feel down on myself.
Grace thinking causes me to be UP on Christ!
Law thinking makes me try to earn God's blessings because I feel they contingent on my performance.
Grace thinking lets me enjoy God's blessings because they're already mine through Christ's performance!
Law thinking makes me feel it's all up to me to live this Christian life.
Grace thinking lets me know it's all up to Christ to live this Christian life!
Law thinking makes me feel salvation and the Christian life are all my responsibility.
Grace thinking lets me know salvation and the Christian life are all His responsibility.
Law thinking makes me think I'm alone living this life.
Grace thinking shows me it's Christ who lives through me!
Law thinking makes me feel separate and disconnected from God.
Grace thinking makes me feel close to God, and I enjoy the union and constant connection I always have with God.
Law thinking makes me fear that God might reject me and I might lose this relationship, since I'm basing it all on how I perform.
Grace makes me relax, knowing God will never reject me and I'll never lose this relationship, because it's based all on how Christ performed!
Law thinking makes me feel that if I've sinned too much, I'm out.
Grace thinking tells me no matter how much I sin, I'll NEVER be out!
Law thinking makes me sin-focused, and I feel my sins are all over me.
Grace thinking makes me Jesus-focused, and I know my sins were put on Him and taken away!
Law thinking makes me feel dirty and ugly before Him.
Grace thinking makes me feel clean and beautiful before Him!
Law thinking makes me feel imperfect and lacking.
Grace thinking reminds me that He's made me perfect and complete!
Law thinking is a dead end.
Grace thinking is the way of endless life!
