Sarah Connatser
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sarah
    • My Family
    • I Believe
    • Reads
  • Contact
  • 31 Days
    • 2015 >
      • Fighting for Grace
    • 2016 >
      • Dear Daughters

By His Grace to Be Grace

10/5/2015

4 Comments

 
It is impossible for me to watch Katherine happily play and not think about kids around the world who are bearing such heavy burdens. As my sweet almost-two-year-old joyfully bounced from the car to the playground today, my heart felt a heavy tension. I want to live in the moment and celebrate these little joys, but I don't want to be so soaked up in my moment that I lose sight of the harsh realities of others.

Motherhood has brought out that tension full force. The harsh realities of others are constantly on my mind. When Katherine eats, gets hurt, sleeps besides us, plays, laughs, cries I think about children around the world. Experiencing life with Katherine makes me constantly think about life for others. I can't turn that tension off. And I don't think I should be able to or want to. 

I so often struggle with the questions:  Why them? Why not me? So much of life is determined by what family we are born into and what country, place, or zip code we are born in. And we have absolutely nothing to do with that. So why them? Why not me? Why was I born in America and my little girl can run happily and without fear around a playground while others are being sex trafficked or enslaved or abused or fighting for life? Why?

Grace.

There is no other answer sufficient.

I can easily be entangled by fear and questions or be controlled by my own life's happenings. But by the grace of God I am being refined and reminded that my life is not my own. All I have is not mine. So I must use my life for the glory of God and the sake of others. 

I am where I am to love and to give, to serve and to help. We carry a responsibility to help those who can't help themselves. Those of us who have the ability must leverage our lives for others. 

Because we are where we are by His grace, and we are a grace to others when we love liberally, give generously, and serve sacrificially. 

So maybe, just maybe, my questions should change. Instead of asking:  Why them? Why not me? Maybe I should be asking:  What can I do today for others? How can I serve others for God's glory and their good? How can I take the grace I've been given and be grace to others?

God is working something in my heart because of this constant tension. I don't know what that means or what it will look like, but He will work it out. And in the meantime, I am growing and learning, praying and seeking. 

And by His grace, He uses time on the playground to refine me and remind me to love, to give, to serve, to help.
Picture
4 Comments
Jessica link
10/8/2015 06:46:06 pm

Congrats on making it thus far in the 31 day challenge. I know it takes a lot of time!
I really liked this sentence you wrote...We carry a responsibility to help those who can't help themselves. Those of us who have the ability must leverage our lives for others. ...
Recently someone encouraged me that instead of praying for God to make the world better, resolve conflict, help the refugees, etc. To instead pray, God, show me how I can help those less fortunate. Thanks for writing!

Reply
Sarah Connatser link
10/9/2015 10:35:38 pm

Thanks so much, Jessica! Really appreciate you stopping by and reading and sharing your thoughts!

Reply
Susan B Mead link
10/9/2015 06:16:22 pm

great questions - I know for me it starts with one. What one can I help today Father? If He can trust me in the little - with the one - then He can trust me with the many and I shall be given much. Yet I have to start with the one.

I was two below you on the FB thread! Cheering you on - and feel free to linkup at my Friday DanceWithJesus Linkup to share with others. SusanBMead.com/blog

Hugs!

Reply
Sarah Connatser link
10/9/2015 10:43:16 pm

Thank you for reading, Susan! I love your thoughts about starting with one. Cheering you on as well! And checking out your blog now :)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sarah
    • My Family
    • I Believe
    • Reads
  • Contact
  • 31 Days
    • 2015 >
      • Fighting for Grace
    • 2016 >
      • Dear Daughters