Why be Gritty?

Picture a life in which JOY carries you through the day,                                  and Laughter comes as naturally as breathing.                                     You are not lured by that which would destroy you,                                         but are drawn to that which builds you up; 

You can trust yourself-having control over your thought and words,                             over your responses and reactions;                                          You live above the distractions and deceptions of the world,                                   being a non-anxious, very real presence to others around you;

You have no need to hide; you can look others in the eye,  

valuing them for themselves alone,                                                                 not for what they would give you.

You find Courage to face every conflict honorably,                                         and Strength to fulfill every responsibility faithfully.                            You endure suffering with courage,

You can admit when you are wrong~                                                              You can say "I'm sorry," and begin again.                                         And are Gentle with yourself,                                                                                Renouncing the chains of shame, and self-condemnation.

You are connected to God who created you as you, you,                                  And are becoming all that God created you to be.

You are at peace in all circumstances,                                                                  Celebrating God's faithful provision in times of abundance,        Trusting in quiet Contentment in times of want.

You are free to Serve others willingly,                                                               Without thought or need for thanks.                                   

             You have the freedom to live for an audience of One.

Picture such a life . . . for it is meant to be yours.1

As though a warm blanket, I should like to wrap myself in these words~    A meadow of green grass, I should like to skip through it . . .                      A shallow creekbed, I should like to step into, cool water on my bare feet.

Such a life only happens with intention, my dear friends.  Look how Paul captured his striving, "I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.

All of us who are spiritually mature should have this same attitude. But if some of you have a different attitude, God will make this clear to you. However that may be, let us go forward..."2

 

Striving . . . forgetting what lies behind,

        running straight toward the goal -> G.R.I.T.

Now how can we do this together-build one another up, hold each other accountable??  For these are the profits of a Gritty Life.

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1 - Dr. Douglas J. Rumford, SoulShaping: Taking Care of your Spiritual Life, Tyndale House.

2 - Philippians 3.12-16, GNT