Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Scary Place of Grace

"For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told" (Habakkuk 1:5).


This was the summer of change. Two years in the making, my husband's company merger was completed and our tenure in Raleigh ended. An offer on our house came from the first viewers hours after being listed. The sale closed on September 13 seventeen years to the day I came to Raleigh from Boston. It is God's plan that wisked us away from the home and friends that we loved. Change is scary and so is grace.

Why is grace a scary place to be? Because it means we're not in control. It was only an illusion that we ever were to begin with. We do our best to execute our plans, but it's the Lord that determines our path. God's grace is our hope and peace when the uncertain future frightens us as we mourn our comfortable past. Grace helps us to let go of our tightly clenched hands and reach for God's ever-loving hand. 

With big dreams and big sunglasses to cover the big tears I cried, I drove behind my husband's overloaded pickup truck to Charlotte. It's been almost two weeks now. We are living in a hotel in Uptown Charlotte as we house hunt in the suburbs. Each morning God meets me in my prayer time and His Spirit comforts me. I feel Him as I walk the city streets breathing silent prayers for family and friends as well as strangers passing briskly by. Grace has helped us adjust to this change.

These days Jon and I feel God's presence in magnitude. He has steered us away from houses we thought were right for us, so we are confident He will confirm the exact place we should purchase. Change is unsettling and that is good! Christ needs to shake us up to wake us up. Grace is becoming less scary as our trust in Him is increasing.

Are you scared of major change in your life? It's natural to be hesitant but don't let your worries consume you. Take them to the Lord and watch His supernatural power work miracles in your life. This journey is where you will see His grace in abundance and your trust in God will increase if you release your fears. Don't be scared, be excited! "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you wer told" Habakkuk 1:5.

Your fellow herald for Christ,

Mary