Wallowing or Marinating?

Grace and Gray Days

 

There is a haze hanging over everything today. It is gray, somewhat foggy, and the air holds a hint of moisture that puts a fine mist on your skin when you venture outdoors.

I took my walk up the road this morning, as I wasn’t sure if that gray sky would turn to full-fledged rain later in the day. I could have listened to the weather man, but so many times he doesn’t hit it quite right and I would hate to miss out on my walk.

You would think, with the air so dense and heavy and the sky so gray that it would be somewhat depressing out there. I found it really wasn’t, because in that dense, gray, moisture laden air there was also the faint smell of Spring on the breeze. You know that smell that smells of dirt, rain and things ready to grow…..that smell….and it was good.

As I walked I could hear sounds from a couple miles away; where a farm machinery consignment auction is going on today. You could not make out the words but you could hear the sing-song chant of the auctioneer on the distant breeze.

You could also hear a variety of birds calling, singing, and just going about their business. It was really rather peaceful in the grayish world this morning.

It made me pause and started me thinking that there can be a peace and a wonderful stillness (Psalm 46:10) in the gray, heavy times. It can be a time to reflect. It also got me thinking about the mission trip my sister took a few years back to Guatemala.

A few weeks after their church group came back they held a Guatemala Sunday. We went and listened to the stories the group told about the time that was spent there. One of the things that hit me most, was when one of the group told of their experience standing on a hill, high above a huge landfill. Down below they could see people digging through the refuse, looking for anything usable or salable.

This gal related, that as tears rolled down their faces at the poverty they saw, their guide told them not to cry. He told them “Grace is like a river that runs down and pools in the lowest places. Those that are in those places marinate in it.”  That quote has stuck with me ever since.

On those days when life seems too hard, too gray, too heavy, too dense to carry on; we can either choose to wallow in our misery or we can choose to marinate in His grace. I am thinking it is our choice to make.

I must admit there are times I choose to wallow. I suspect more of you do too. I must also admit wallowing can be enjoyable but that enjoyment does not last long and then just feeling lousy sets in. Fortunately, I have a husband who does not allow me to wallow too long! (That is a blessing.)

I do find that when I choose to marinate in Grace, life is much more bearable. There is a peace and that wonderful stillness of being who you are supposed to be and where you are supposed to be.

If you are presently in a gray time…..what will you do? Will you see only the grayness or will you see the blessing of stillness. Will you see only what is visible or will you see the promise of life around you? What is your choice…..what is my choice?   Will we wallow or will we marinate?

“Like any other gift,
the gift of grace can be yours only if you’ll reach out and take it.
Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”
Unknown

For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith
–and this is not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God
–Ephesians 2:8
New International Version