Journeying to Grace

My prayerful plan is to work on being more spiritually focused this Lent. I hope to become more aware of seeing and hearing where the Lord is inviting me and where He is working in my life – in large, small, and subtle ways. With hopefulness, I welcome these special encounters of faith, so I shouldn’t be too surprised when I get them. Even when they arrive as old lessons I need to relearn.

There’s nothing like seeing my neighbors begin seasonal yardwork to motivate me to start mine. I didn’t want to get too far behind, so I got to work the next day. As I surveyed the yard and its current condition, my first thoughts were how much there is to do, how much work is ahead of me, and I wouldn’t be able to get it all done at once. I was immediately reminded that it doesn’t have to be completed all at once. By taking steps and moving forward, I’ll continue to make positive progress, and that is enough. And there it was. I am already familiar with the helpful spiritual symbolism of clearing old growth, cultivating soil, and planting new seeds, but here it was again. Really? This ordinary task of power raking my front yard is going to be a lesson in faith? Yes, it is, and I admit, this chore provided good lessons.

As I began, I looked at my neighbor’s yard with just a little envy. He fully completed this task the day before with the help of his son. I was quickly reminded that he and I have different processes (journeys) to reach similar goals. It doesn’t help my spirit to compare myself to anyone else. Mine is my own path. As I continued raking with a little bit of a system, the old dead grass and leaves gave way to reveal new life of green tips just beginning to sprout. What in my spirit is a hindrance and needs to be removed so something new and life-giving can grow? ‘If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.’ (John 15:5)

Perhaps the lesson of faith which left the biggest impression on me was using a new tool. Except it really wasn’t new; I had just missed it.  A better rake for this initial, preliminary task had been in the background, somewhat hidden along the garage wall by many items around it. I hadn’t purchased the rake, so I didn’t look for it. I was so used to just seeing what I already knew was there, this had been overlooked until I discovered it not too long ago. I am very thankful for the discovery because it was extremely helpful this time and made a significant difference. I reflected on that idea. What spiritual tool do I have that has been hiding in the background and not being used as it should? More importantly, what spiritual tool do I need to bring to the forefront so it’s before me? My prayerful answer to that is the tool of true and faithful trust in the Lord and in His plan for me.

We regularly do necessary tasks which are nothing new or spectacular. Let us pray that especially during Lent, we find God in the quiet of the ordinary and familiar and not overlook these opportunities and invitations to relearn ‘old’ lessons of faith.