Press the arrow to listen to Hillsong Church sing “The Deep of Your Grace” while reading today’s journal about grace.

Scripture
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2

Observation
There is so much of my life that is guided by by three painful sentences:
I ought to.
I should have.
I must do.

When I try to live up to any of these sentences, my life becomes ugly. Those around me are made to feel resentful or restless. They will join me in trying to do more to be more.

I may have learned these sentences from my parents, my teachers, my bosses, my critics and anyone else who made me live up to expectations. Legalism isn’t something learned in Sunday School; it is the stuff that life is marinated in. Until we experience love in Jesus, we all try to do something to feel better about ourselves. That is the ugly side of using rules to feel more valuable.

Legalism repels the Holy Spirit. When I live that way he can’t come near. He doesn’t want to be near. But when I let Christ love me without trying to improve myself or to live up to expectations the power of the Holy Spirit flows through my life.

Application
Legalism is sneaky. I feel it creeping up on me when smile brighter to impress or drive faster so as not to disappoint. When those moments come I feel the Holy Spirit depart. But when I let Christ take me just as I am, power flows. I want to live there.

Prayer
Father, would you run a u-v light over my life and show me the traces of legalism that crop up. Help me to live by grace so others around me stand a chance to live by grace too. Amen.