Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit to live without stress. God, however, won’t give us the grace to be disobedient. If He’s telling us not to do something that we decide to do anyway, we’ll experience the painful loss of His anointing. Grace equals ability. God gives us grace to match our call. When we do our own thing, we do it on our own. When we follow His leading, He always supplies the energy. Remember, God will fed Isaac, but we will have to feed Ishmael! Remember when God promised Abraham and Sarah a child? They got ahead of God and worked out a plan to have Ishmael. Finally, Isaac came according to God’s promise. Ishmael’s name means “man of war.” Isaac’s name means “laughter.” Ishmael represents works of the flesh, which always produce struggle and stress. Isaac, however, represents waiting for God’s promise, which requires faith and always brings rest. Whose pace are you moving at? Is it the pace God has set for you or someone else’s pace? Are you stressed-out from trying to keep up with everyone else? Are you living under the stress of competition and comparison? Are you a perfectionist with unrealistic goals? I believe we can live stress free in a stressful world, but it will require some decisions—possibly some radical decisions. Allow God’s Spirit to lead you out of a stressful lifestyle and into one of peace and joy. Pastor Don