Systematic Success and a Whole Lotta Grace!

I am becoming more and more convinced that good things, success, and victories don't happen on accident. I don't know if it's the fact we live in a fallen world, but it seems like everything naturally erodes, or unwinds, or just falls apart. Even when I think of the beautiful flowers that pop up out of the earth out in an open field, I feel certain that our Heavenly Father has been tending to the beauty of our earth with rain and sunshine. :)

Sometimes I think that since we are a people saved by Grace, we get the idea that Grace allows for total, unstructured, unguided freedom. Like we can do whatever we want because we are covered by God' s grace. Obviously, I think a lot of people don't feel that way in regards to sin ( I hope so anyway!) since our sin grieves the Lord so much, BUT I wonder if we don't have that perspective for everyday living and relationships. Sometimes I walk from day to day without a plan or if I have one, it is easily tossed about by the whims of my flesh or things that seem to need immediate attention.

DISCLAIMER: For those of you who are so legalistic or dogmatic about your daily lists, try to hear the heart of this message, and not turn it into another set of rules. :)

I recently read an article by John Maxwell in my Joyce Meyer Ministries Magazine from May 2010. John spoke about the value of SYSTEMS in our life. Of course as a leader whether in business or ministry, then good systems are key to prioritizing and maximizing your productivity. However, I think this principle can have a great impact on our personal lives, too!

Maxwell says that a system is a way of doing things, like a set of good habits to help you accomplish your goals. Systems can save you time, help you do more, promote creativity, and even enhance relationships.

SO, how does this fit into my life. A system I have had for seeking the Lord is my quiet time every morning. And even by having a plan for what I will read, or where I will pray helps me know right where to go. As weird as it sounds, I like reading my Bible more when I actually know what I am going to read. Randomly picking up my Bible and flipping to a page doesn't work for me in a long-term perspective. Sure, God can speak. But there is certainly something to be said about soaking in God's Word as a big picture narrative. And it also amazes me when God can totally speak to my needs on a specific issue when I have been reading the same book for three weeks. It shows me all the more how divine His timing is.

But what about other relationships???
Are we intentionally and systematically investing in our relationships?
Systems for relationships can be a powerful tool!

Take my marriage for instance. I would tell you that my marriage is the single most importantl earthly relationship I have. No question about it, but do I feed that relationship as much as I value it? What about regular date nights? What about praying together every day? What about worshipping together?What about just talking and sharing dreams together?

If we are not careful, life will fly by, and it will be months since I went on a date with my husband! A system that says: "OK, we plan to take this marriage class and then talk about it and regularly open up our hearts to one another" can be such a powerful thing.

Don't just wait around and 'hope' that your marriage or friendships will grow deeper. Do something about it! Join a small group and be committed to it growing relationships each week. Talk to your spouse and set up a time each week to invest in your relationship. (Maybe do it more than once a week! Why not?!) Type it up and put a schedule on the fridge, or declare that a particular night of the week is sacredly held for a certain reason.

Grace is so much more than an allowance for our mistakes.

"So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to ENABLE you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible BECAUSE of the GRACE of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Grace is not just a hall pass to do whatever we want... but Grace transforms us and calls us to something so much bigger than ourselves. And Grace EMPOWERS us to do all that God has called us to do.

This means that the Grace of Jesus can empower you to be a better husband or wife to your spouse. By God's Grace, you can be a better employee, a better friend. With the grace of God, you can be brave. You can dream bigger. By the grace of God, we can come boldly and confidently into the presence of our Savior. God's grace can help you faithfully invest in the things that most important to you and to God.

SO, today, be filled with the Grace of God, and take the steps forward to be the person God knows you CAN be!

Nothing But Grace,
Tiffany