It’s easy for me to say “Much grace” to my friends but very difficult to say it to myself. Why? I believe that extending myself grace means that I’m giving myself a free pass to Lazytown. Let’s unpack how to know the difference by answering the question: Why do I wrestle with this issue at all?
I believe my enemy when he says if I do more, I’ll be more.
I believe that the more I do, the more valued, worthy, and important I am. But when my body starts to cave from the pressure on my heart and bones, I tell myself that if I’m not doing enough, I’ll never be enough.
But God gives us the Holy Spirit to power us through what He’s picked out for us to do. Every command Jesus gives is with the understanding that obedience is only possible with the Holy Spirit. He instructs us to believe, trust, and come, which has nothing to do with proving our worth through our busyness.
Laziness avoids action all together. Grace says I cannot earn God’s love through work because I already have His love through Christ’s blood.
I believe that doing is good and resting is bad.
I’ve pushed through exhaustion and pushed down emotions because I’m afraid laziness will take over my life. Being perpetually in motion is good, and resting is bad.
But God says that laziness has more to do with sleeping too much, a lack of hard work, siphoning off of someone else’s dedication, and being idle than it does taking care of our limited bodies. He created us to sleep and Sabbath because both are restorative and help us become more effective in doing what He’s called us to do.
Laziness is all about excessive sleep and not taking care of what we’ve been given. Grace accepts and encourages my human need for rest.
I believe my identity is found in self-created rules.
I have created my own standards for how often to clean my home, how quickly I should complete projects, and how to eat well as ways to make God happy. When I can’t meet my own standards, I tell myself I’m lazy.
But God has not called me to obey these self-appointed rules. He’s asked me to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love others as myself. I don’t need a checklist—I need a relationship.
Laziness tells me that I don’t need to try at all because it’s too hard. Grace gives me permission to shed the rules that are poisoning my heart.
I believe that grace is a smokescreen for license.
In error, I’ve believed that grace involves being a pushover and going soft on morality. Grace is just a way to give myself a pass and feel okay that I didn’t even meet my own expectations.
But God says that His Grace is a sufficient, lavish, and glorious gift. It saves, strengthens, teaches, empowers, invites, and helps us when we’re in need. Grace knows I have seasons, a personality, limits, and a specific purpose.
Laziness relaxes healthy standards to make things easier. Grace says I will have good days and bad ones, but God loves me through both.
I believe God is a taskmaster.
I feel like God has a list of chores that He’s expecting me to do—like clean house, complete projects, and eat healthier. So when I’m not doing the things I think He expects of me, I feel lazy.
But God isn’t a micro-managing, productivity junkie. He’s a leader. Psalm 23:3 (MSG) says, “True to Your word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” We start with belief, trust, and coming to Him. He’ll direct us from there.
Laziness tells me I’ll get to it another day until not-doing becomes a way of life. Grace says that I am to do the work God has invited me to do.
But Jesus gives us the answer by showing us the way of grace.
Grace understands our humanity and comes alongside us to work on our behalf.
When Jesus triumphed over the devil after 40 days without food and water, He wasn’t telling himself to power through the exhaustion, hunger and dehydration, He accepted the limits of His humanity. Then God sent angels to come alongside Him, and they took care of Him working on His behalf.
Achiever-Friends, if Jesus, who was 100% God and 100% human, was able to accept that He needed rest and care, how much easier should it be for us, who are 100% human, to allow for our humanity?
Here’s what John said about it in 1 John 3:18–20 (MSG): “My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.” Living in God’s reality means to extend patience, kindness, and gentleness to yourself.
When you’ve reached your emotional or physical limit, extend yourself grace and rest. You aren’t being lazy. You’re being human—exactly how God designed you. That’s why you can tell yourself in good conscience, “Much grace.”
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