This is a phrase used in our house quite often. It started when Clayton and I were engaged and has now carried over into our marriage. When we say “you can smile”, what we’re saying is although it doesn’t “feel” like you “should” be smiling in the
moment, because of the goodness and grace of Jesus, you still can. When we mess up, our human nature tells us that we need to pay the price for our mistakes and that we should feel guilt and condemnation over whatever it is for a certain amount of time… but God’s grace and kindness towards us says: “you can smile, you can still smile, and you never have to stop smiling” because our righteousness in Him is something that can never be taken away from us or lost by our mistakes.
This past week Clayton had to remind me that I could still smile. We were out of town and if you have a baby, you know how traveling with a baby can take a whole lot of energy out of you! We had gone downtown to walk around and shop a bit and had just grabbed a coffee from my favorite coffee spot. There was a store on that particular street I wanted to go in, and since clayton couldn’t fit the stroller through the door he decided to watch Rhonny while I went in by myself. Although I was bummed they couldn’t come in, when I walked through the door I was feeling pretty good! A glorious moment between me, my coffee, and one of my favorite stores! I probably sighed a few times, thinking *a moment to myself!* I walked right over to a rack of clothes, was immediately drawn to a cute pair of jeans, and just when I thought things couldn’t get any better… I ruined EVERYTHING! (Or so I thought!) I saw the jeans, wanted to find my size, but I couldn’t find my size without setting my coffee down. So, I went to set my coffee down on the shelf above the clothing rack and quickly discovered it wasn’t a shelf!! SPLAT. There went my coffee. Yall, my heart started pounding so fast. I was so embarrassed, by myself, and thought I had just ruined about $2000 dollars worth of clothes. After I stood there like “WHAT I HAVE I DONE?” for about 60 seconds, I ran out the door to find Clayton and tell him what I had done and ask for help to clean up my mess. He immediately ran inside to see what needed to be done while I stood outside (no kidding in tears) because something that seemed so good went so bad so fast.
Isn’t that how it happens sometimes? Everything is going gloriously and then all the sudden we find ourselves in a spot, in a moment, in a position we never expected or wanted? It’s in these moments that the enemy takes his very best shot to accuse our hearts and our identity. I want to share what happens next after I ran outside to find my husband, because if you’ve never experienced this kind of grace from a human, I hope this story helps you know the extravagant love and grace of Jesus that is yours to receive.
“Babe! I just goofed really really bad and I don’t know what to do… I wanted to look at some jeans and I went to set my coffee down and I spilled it everywhere and I think I ruined everything!”
After about 5 minutes Clayton came back outside, said it was all cleaned up, handed me his coffee, and sent me back inside saying “go enjoy”.
I know this story is about coffee and shopping and being a mom… but I hope you hear what I heard when my husband sent me back inside and said “go enjoy”.
This is the both the simplicity and complexity of grace. Before I knew it, what I thought was a huge mistake was already taken care of… Whatever mess you might find yourself in, whatever shame that has tried to eat you up when you close your eyes at night, your biggest mistake or your greatest embarrassment, it’s been taken care of. And your Father says to you… it’s all cleaned up. It’s all taken care of… Go and ENJOY!