Do you ever think “How come everyone else seems to have it all together?” or “All I want to do today is pull the covers over my head and hide!” You’re not the only one struggling to find grace in the midst of the chaos.
You know chaos. The everyday stuff of life.
“I’ll look up Antarctic mammals with her while cooking dinner. After you finish your assignment, can you supervise bath time while calling so & so? Thanks, because I have to leave for that meeting in 45 minutes.” Then there is the “I forgot my lunch” and the “Have you got time to chat?” moments.
Life is wonderfully full and we as a family are trying to hear and follow the call of God on our life. But, for a long time I tried to control the chaos that was our life.
I remember thinking to myself, “I love God and I’m trying my best. Why am I exhausted and feeling like a failure?” I didn’t have the answer and I was ashamed to admit that to anyone. I asked God to show me how to fix this feeling of being overwhelmed and disillusioned but I couldn’t wait to hear the answer.
Like the warning light on the dashboard I knew something wasn’t right but I ignored it. So I hid these thoughts behind busyness. I just had to try harder to get it together. Up early and still going late into the night, it felt like the “to do” list continued to mocked me. One Friday I had a coffee with my Mum and had a complete and spectacular meltdown over everything my husband wasn’t doing right and how I was over it all.
After ignoring that warning light for far too long my spirit finally stalled. Exhausted, I went home and cried out to God. He spoke to me about grace. And the illustration He used was, of all things, marriage.
As a “doer” I have always struggled with the concept of grace. Marriage though, I get. I understand faithfulness, commitment, sacrifice, expectations. I’ve also experienced joy, love, contentment, purpose and unity that comes from being in a relationship with my husband.
Then it hit me that these are the same words to describe my relationship with God. Just as I am in a covenant of marriage with my husband, so I’m in a covenant of grace with God.
From the outside some people can give you the impression that marriage is just hard work, but when you have experienced it for yourself you also know how amazing it can be. And so it is with grace. Grace is God choosing to do life with us when we don’t deserve it. He loves us even when we aren’t faithful in our relationship with him. I had been so focused on controlling the chaos that I had forgot God’s grace is what makes all the difference.
So how does grace effect my chaos filled life? There is grace for each and every day because God is with me. The chaos is still there, but now I understand so is God. Just like in my marriage, I know I’m loved so I don’t need to be perfect or have everything in my life perfect. God’s faithfulness isn’t based on my performance.
Rather than changing the chaos God has changed me. When the chaos feels like it is getting out of control I don’t have to fix it. I run instead to God for advice and solutions and strength to do it all. He helps me get perspective on the focus for my day.
God’s grace is amazing because it is there for each one of us.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16
From angle of grace, chaos doesn’t look like failure. Chaos looks like adventure. If life feels like you are two breaths away from total chaos meltdown, then its time to stop and seek his grace. Ask God today for his grace to still your heart, change your responses and show you a way forward.
How do you stop and find his grace when you need it?
Julie Willis-Jones and her husband Trefor are aiming to raise three kids to become relatively normal and amazing people, in the beautiful city of Newcastle, Australia. In the midst of daily chaos and grace, Julie loves God, family, photography, cooking, meaningful art and homewares, and coffee with friends. Julie & Trefor also run their business, Complete Transformation, which helps people find wholeness from life controlling issues such as sexual abuse. To find out how you can overcome, or how you can support someone through this process, find us on Facebook. You can also connect with Julie personally on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
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I love your post here, Julie, especially this: “So how does grace effect my chaos filled life? There is grace for each and every day because God is with me. ”
I can so relate to chaos. (In fact I wrote about it in today’s post, from a different angle.) It is so good to know that God is with us, and we can love Him and trust Him to help us get through one step at a time.
Thanks for featuring Julie, Holly!
betsydecruz recently posted…7 Routines to Help Tame Chaos
Betsy I love you thought of one step at a time – much less over whelming of my heart.
I love how grace is in our everyday and everything. It meets us in chaos and the calm and it is new everyday. Your story is a beautiful reminder that grace is ours just because we are children of God. Thank you for sharing and for being brave in sharing your testimony.
Mary Geisen recently posted…Brave Looks Good on You
Thanks Mary. So many voices try to tell us who we are & easy to forget that we are His children, isn’t it?
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Julie – I very much enjoyed this post. Our perspective on grace changes how we view everything – even the chaos in our lives. Grateful to have stopped here early this morning! Blessings!
Joanne Viola recently posted…To Every Generation
Thanks for Joanne for stopping by!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Julie- This is so beautifully written and full of truth. As a “doer”, grace is hard for me, too. but I love this: “Grace is God choosing to do life with us when we don’t deserve it. ” That’s such a simple, yet perfect definition. Thank you for sharing your testimony here. It encouraged me.
Karen Brown recently posted…Sunday School Lessons I Wish I Never Taught
Karen I think we all struggle with being “doers”. My prayer is that reaching out for his grace, instead of “doing” autopilot, now becomes my first response.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
This month I’m focusing on Mercy in my encouragement series on my blog but the whole way through I am so conscious of His Grace intertwined in it.
Sandra @ Sandra’s Ark recently posted…Songs for Worship #21
Thanks Sandra for stopping by!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Julie, this is so relevant, and I appreciate your honesty in sharing God’s working in your life. We are so in need of His peace to tame our chaos. Linking up with you today at Testimony Tuesday.
Michele Morin recently posted…Enjoying the Truth
I’m glad it you found it relevant Michele.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Great Post Julie!
I love this part!
“From angle of grace, chaos doesn’t look like failure. Chaos looks like adventure. If life feels like you are two breaths away from total chaos meltdown, then its time to stop and seek his grace.”
Amen and amen!
Blessings to you
Danise
Denise I’m glad you loved the quote. I’m learning to say “Ok God, let the adventure begin!”
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Yes Julie- love this Grace. Where would we be without it, without Him?
Katie M. Reid recently posted…What Now? Back to the Bible Basics
Katie I agree. I think its healthy to remind ourselves regularly where we would be without him. I recently prayed for God to show me the difference he makes in my life – at the end of a horrible day I realised that he had withdrawn his grace (his presence, strength, peace, etc.) & I knew how much better it is to do life with him. I’m so thankful!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
I related to your words here today on so many levels, Julie. I know I took grace for granted for so many years and while I knew it was available, I never fully appreciated the magnitude of it. It truly is a gift that while covers a multitude of sins – breathing it in with you and purposing to pass it on as well. Blessings to you and thank you Holly for hosting the words.
Tiffany Parry recently posted…On Learning to Trust Again
Tiffany it is so easy to be over familiar with God’s grace. I love that you are not only “breathing it in” but also “passing it on”. That challenged me – thank you!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Ahhh, the chaos. There are times when I, too, swirl in its awkward, rushing flow. Your post is a breath of fresh air, a good reminder to be vigilant and willing to sit at the throne of His grace. He’ll take care of it all. I need that reminder. (And my shoulders just relaxed a bit.) 🙂 #GoJesus
Kristi recently posted…Is Yours a Milk and Honey View? ~ Part 2
Kristi – I loved your comment about your shoulders relaxing. So often we carry things around & we don’t even realise until the moment its gone. #goJesus!!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Grace is such a gift! “For it is my grace through faith that you have been saved, it is not your own doing but a gift of God.”
Yes Tara! Thanks for sharing.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
How do I find grace? Like you, I have to stop the *noise* of life and listen and look for it – (hopefully before I’m exhausted!) Sometimes I forget the timeless truth that God does indeed live life with me. He is behind me, beside me, and before me. Forever the same, He is my Rock.
GOD BLESS!
Thanks Sharon for sharing. I think the hardest lesson to learn was that the *noise* you mentioned NEVER stops. It took me far to long to learn that it doesn’t work when you put God “on hold” till you deal with the chaos. The awesome thing is Jesus is a “right in the middle of the chaos” kind of God. It’s where he is waiting for you.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Bless you for sharing this! I really love how you said about being in a covenant of Grace with God!
Mary Lou Caskey recently posted…Kathi Lipp Dares to Offer Hope by Sharing Her Weight Struggles
Mary Lou “covenant” is a wonderful, meaningful word, isn’t it?
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
The only word that describes Grace for me is Jesus. It’s a gift in a world of chaos. Thanks such an encouraging post! Blessings.
W/Love,
Tayrina from TGAWrites
Tayrina recently posted…{8} Bible Verses to Renew your Strength – Book of Psalms
I totally agree Tayrina. It begins and ends with Jesus.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
“Rather than changing the chaos, God changed me.” So beautifully expressed. I have often prayed, “God, change me or change my circumstances.” Sometimes He does both, but He always changes me 🙂 Loved your perspective on this. Fresh words bring a breath of fresh air to our views on life!
Embracing the journey,
Christi
Yes Christi. I often have to remind myself – remember you asked God to do this lol.
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos
Grace is so big, wonderful, and abounds in my life. Thanks for the word of love today. 🙂
Thanks Mary for stopping by!
Julie Willis-Jones recently posted…Finding grace when all you can see is chaos