Guide to a grace-filled start

Attached is your Guide to a Grace-filled Start. Use this to begin the day or get a restart when the going get's tough. It's a helpful re-orientation at any time, and that applies especially when you face adversity or when a blue heart weighs you down.

You'll notice that it folds to a quarter-page size so that you can easily place it in a pocket, or planner, or a book. Use it to form a habit of pressing into God to receive his grace. Once you do so, then you simply incorporate the steps in any other planner that you use.

Top three to move forward

Notice that the Guide ends in top three priorities to move your day forward. Psychological research proves that three things are about as much as we can keep in our mind at any given time. The point is to gain a trajectory in God's grace before you do anything else at the beginning of the day. Determine those three things before you check social media or email, because that's where the downward slide begins.

An optional second step

This is the baseline, and you can do this in five minutes as the start of the day. Once you do this, then you can turn the Guide over, and have an even better start by acknowledging three points of gratitude and by specifying an overarching petition for the day.

Note these familiar words from St. Paul, which show that petition is especially powerful in the context of thanksgiving.

Furthermore, when we begin with thanksgiving, we're aware of the nature of God's abundance -- and important characteristic of God that we fail to recognize when we're over-focused on our problems. It's grounding to know that God wants to bless us, and we can be more confident in this when we recognize that he already has, and his blessing are coming into you life now.

The short evening routine is similar and self-explanatory. We first acknowledge what has gone well. Then, we're in a better mindset to learn and grow for the future.

Short summary

Finally, here's a short summary of principles:

Look up

We don't typically think to look up when we're entering a dark tunnel. What's the point? Just lower your head until you get through. When life you feel like you're entering a tunnel, we have a similar response spiritually.

So you said morning prayers and you go to Mass. But in the midst of the struggle, you're not looking up. Because if you did, you'd realize that you're not in a tunnel at all.

We can develop a greater reflex to more intentionally look up whenever we encounter discouragement or opposition.

As we look up, God comes down. His presence becomes palpable, and we are no longer alone in our trial.

But that's not enough. After that, you have to give up.

Give up

After looking up in a more intentional way, you give up what holds you back.

First, you give up living for yourself, because living for yourself never works anyway. It's easy to forget this simple fact. For this reason, so it can actually be a grace when trying to find full satisfaction in this world leads you to a dead end. God brings us to a point of near despair so we can find a more fulfilling way forward.

Second, you give up trying to go forward in your own strength, because that will always run out. Paul said, "When I am weak, then I am strong," and "God's power is made perfect in our weakness." The sooner we can say the same, the sooner we can we receive God's strength to go forward.

This is the point at which you can walk up.

Walk up

God wants you to move forward. This means walking up, because it's always uphill. But that's not a bad thing. When you embrace this and begin after looking up and giving up, you find grace to go forward.

But to do this, you need to preach the gospel to yourself, because this is the way to counteract the forces that oppose you.

For example, thoughts of condemnation, either perceived from others or from yourself, make you feel unworthy. These thoughts are lies from the enemy that make you ineffective in building God's kingdom.

So you unmask these lies with the gospel by remembering these words from Paul:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

Embrace this truth for yourself as God's will for you. God does not want you to be discouraged because that makes you ineffective. Instead, preach the truth to yourself. "Whatever is true … if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

You choose to walk uphill against discouragement by choosing thoughts formed by the gospel. This enables you to walk uphill to face the challenges of the day.

More resources coming your way

Don't forget that you can access all this material, at my teachable portal here. I've included some fairly impromptu videos for another level of illustration. Your ongoing access will include any updates that I add in the future.

May Christ be seen in you today.

Grace to you ...

In Christ,

Fr. Scharbach

Pastor of Mount Calvary Catholic Church

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