When I hear the phrase change the world, I think big, limitless, headlining change. I think movements and revolutions and action steps. That is why I nearly didn’t name this series 31 Days to Change the World, because well, frankly, give me a break. Right? Change the world? Who am I kidding? But then there is this.
For 31 days in a row last October, I wrote 31 Days of Grace. And even though I had just finished a 65,000 word book on that same topic, I still had more to say. There aren’t enough words to fill this grace up. There are no corners, boundaries or balance scales. There is no medal or trophy or certificate that accompanies it. You cannot measure it, lose it, squash or outrun it. You don’t have to tryout, live up, or calm down to get it. You simply have to open your hands to receive it.
This grace changes everything.
If I really believe that (and I do) then that means everything changes. My future as well as my past, my failures as well as my successes, my energy as well as my exhaustion. There is no area of life that grace cannot touch, no hurt that grace cannot heal, no fear that grace cannot overcome.
And so this sweeping,revolutionary change we think of, where does it begin if not with grace? The grace that comes from the hand of God is the only thing I’ve found that has no limits, boundaries, or prerequisits. Who can stand against it?
I left you yesterday hiding in Grandma’s bathroom, knowing there is a world out there you were made to go into, but also knowing it can be terrifying to enter. You may be tempted to feel shame for staying firmly where you are: How can I change a world I don’t live in? How can I influence people I can’t see? How can I make a difference when it’s all so big, so much, so out of my control?
A better question to start with: How has this grace changed you? Allow yourself to pause there on the inside of the door. Give yourself permission not to open it quite yet. Sit on the floor of the bathroom, turn your palms face up, close your eyes with thanksgiving, and know that none of this comes from you. This life, these choices, this world on either side of the door — it is all a gift. You are not called to manage outcomes, you are simply called to come out. But before you can come out, might I encourage you to stay in and rest?
Know where your giftedness comes from. Know who supplies your energy. Believe He is the one who changes things. And He lives within you. There are as many stories as there are people, and I wanted to share one with you. My dad is writing 31 Days of Scary Hope (the lone man in a sea of 700 women) and he shared a story earlier this week about my mom. It’s proof that the world can change, and it all begins with grace.
This is the fifth post in a series. Read 31 Days to Change the World from the beginning. Go here to see all of the other 31 Day series happening around the internets. Want to have Chatting at the Sky delivered into your email inbox? Subscribe here for free.
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