Receiving Correction

It is not easy to receive correction--regardless of where it comes. Our pride rises up and our ego kicks in--even when it comes from a blog post from a more mature, fellow Christian.

Tim Challies over at Informing the Reforming yesterday gave a wonderful corrective for me personally about quiet times, spiritual disciplines, and grace vs. performance based measurements in my relationship with God. Most of his comments were reflections on Jerry Bridges' book The Discipline of Grace. It is the post from yesterday, but worth the scroll down to read it--then, get Jerry's book (think I might be reading it again soon).

Then, this morning as I was studying TW Hunt and Catherine Walker's The Disciple's Prayer Life, I began to think about my own relationship/fellowship with God and how much I, myself, measure it based upon performance instead of grace.

So, I have begun to pray--God, show me how to live by grace through faith.

I received at least a partial answer to that this morning during my study--"Fellowship/relationship with Jesus is expressed in and through all the activities I participate in through a day by grace and in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:15-18) primarily motivated by the exaltation and glory of Jesus and the expansion of the gospel"

That's at least a start--because, let's face it, performance based measurements lend themselves very easily toward legalism--something I grew up with, and in some ways still hinders my progress toward maturity in this area.

Heavenly Father, give me grace.