I was walking the dogs the other day when I noticed something. I told my four month old Boxador puppies to sit. I make them sit at each corner before we cross the street. I am trying to teach them that I am the lead and some self-control. One of the puppies sat on command. The other, well, he needed a few reminders and a little push on his back side. Just like my boys, the puppies need a few reminders and a whole lot of patience.
Training these dogs and raising these kids reminds me of my faith.

Raising puppies is like raising kids which is like finding grace.

Takes stamina

Patience

Commitment

Failure

Picking back up after failure

Recovering from failure

Doesn’t happen overnight

Grace isn’t a chase. It’s a discovery. Instead of taking the lead in our lives, we chase grace as if it is always one step ahead. Grace is ours the moment we believe. There is no chase.

We tend to chase our kids and our puppies, too. Most of the time, we are running after them helping to right their wrongs instead of taking the lead knowing we are the one in charge. Exhausted and worn out, we give up too soon. This leads us to more stress down the road because we did stay the course when raising these crazies got hard.

We do the same with grace. Instead of living in confidence in the grace we receive, we give up. We believe the lie that we aren’t worthy or we are too tired and we walk away from grace. And when we walk away from grace, we walk away from our faith.

Grace is not a chase. Grace is a journey of discovery. A discovery of how much you are loved.

No matter how many times my puppies chew something up or don’t sit when I tell them to, I still love them. Same with my kids. No matter how many times they veer off the road, I see them sleeping and I fall in love all over again. My love never leaves them. My grace is always available.

The same is true for God’s grace to us. Always available. No need to chase.

Stop running. Stand confidently in the grace you were gifted the moment you believed. When Jesus said, “It is finished” in John 19:28-30 he gave that victory to you. Now, you can rest in His grace no matter where you find yourself.

Grace isn’t a chase. It isn’t something to earn. Grace is a gift freely given from the cross to you. Take it. Rest. Find peace. Be loved.

Love & Blessings,

Meg