Episode #244 Grace vs. Effort: Am I Supposed to Try Harder or Let Go? – Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Hey friends, it's Jen. Today we're talking about spiritual disciplines which are not works based. I love that we get to talk about that as part of this series on unforced rhythms of grace because really in the past I treated spiritual disciplines like forced works. Not unforced grace.

I thought in so many ways that I needed to earn God's approval or try and work my way to receiving more of his love or attention or affection. I grew up in the church, And I was just not that outgoing, naturally identifiable leader type. And so I often felt overlooked.

I wasn't the one who got special words from the Lord or brought up and commended or selected as someone who had leadership potential. now looking back, I can see how I misinterpreted some of those things of honestly being more serious or intentional than they really were on the human level.

And I misapplied them to God thinking that God didn't see me as very worthwhile or special or as someone with a lot of potential.

And so when it came to spiritual disciplines. They were very achiever and works focused, but that's not what they're about at all.

As we're going through this series, I'm sharing thoughts and excerpts and paraphrases for you from the book I'm reading called Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. And I read this book well over 20 years ago, but I'm revisiting it now, and it's bringing so much beauty into my life that I'm excited to share it with you in this way.

And he talks about how spiritual disciplines are most definitely not works righteousness, as it is sometimes said. They place us, body, mind, and spirit before God. That's all. The results of this process are all of God. All of grace.

Now, the opposite of grace is works, he says works has to do with earning, and there is simply nothing that we could ever do to earn God's approval or God's love.

Again, the opposite of grace is works. Not effort. As Jesus taught us, we are to strive to enter by the narrow gate. Now what he's referencing here is from Matthew 7:13-14. And so I'll read it for us. This is Jesus talking and he says,

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

I think it's important to notice the distinction here between works and effort.

That works is opposed to grace, but effort is not. There are parts that we have to play in agreeing with God, in receiving what he would give to us, which often means walking out, living according to what God offers.

There's partnership and collaboration that we get to experience with God as he does the hard work. But as we see in this passage about choosing the narrow gate, you need to enter. You need to walk through it. You need to look to find it. And this is not all on us.

It is not all on our effort. It is all on God and his grace. And because of that, he gives us steps that we get to walk in. He gives us a narrow gate that leads to life and invites us to enter it.

But I can acknowledge that there's that tension there for a lot of us. Some of us might lean to one side and go too hard towards works and earning. And not stay in the purity and trust of partnership.

And some of us might lean a little the other direction and think that we don't have to make effort because God's got it all. And so we miss that invitation that God invites us to partner with Him and what He's doing. And so this is a great time to bring that conversation to Him:

God, what does it look like for me to partner with you in my day today?

I'm excited for what he wants to share with you.

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

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