Giver of Grace

Grace.

That topic has penetrated my heart lately.

I've already blogged about it once, and yet I sit here again with it in my heart.

I believe that grace cannot be fully and wholeheartedly understood until it has had to have been experienced being given to you. 

I grew up in a very loving home. I grew up learning about grace. I understood what the term meant. I accepted God's grace as a very little girl. But because I grew up in a very loving home with a great environment, I didn't grasp the depth of grace until I grew older and experienced life. 

 When I was 13, I experienced for the first "real" time, what it meant to truly extend grace. I wasn't very good at doing it. I didn't realize how hard it could be to forgive when the heart has been wounded. Yet, then, at 13, I got a dose of what true forgiveness was. (Though it took me a long while to arrive there). 

However, I still hadn't had to have it extended to me in a real manner.

You could say I was the "goodie goodie" growing up. I followed curfew (maybe because I didn't really have one?? )

   I had good friends.

     I didn't experiment with the "bad" things.

       I didn't even go to the movie theater....

I was a goodie goodie, by many people's definition. 

But, as I grew older and on my own, I came to a place of needing grace to be extended to me. 

 I did not and have not always made the best decisions in life. Decisions which have led, at times, to needing grace. 

   We all need grace. 

    some situations just call for it more.

Some situations are public. Some are not. But regardless of the scenario, it doesn't matter. Grace is often a tough action for others to bestow.

Showing grace, or extending it, means that your heart has been wounded in some way by a person. Maybe something they said to you or about you.

   Maybe something they did that affected you.

      Maybe something they didn't do.

Grace....forgiveness....It is hard to give sometimes. 

   A hurtful action can cause a deep wound for a long time. 

      A hurtful word can do the same. 

Forgive. 

 Why?

When the world around me says it's ok to hold onto that hurt and anger, God says it is not.

   Anger and bitterness spill over onto everyone around me. 

     Anger and lack of grace cause the situation only to be worse. 

          Lack of forgiveness causes more pain inside. 

Extend Grace.  

  Why?

    Grace brings peace.

       Grace brings joy.

           Grace brings restoration. To my heart. To those around me.  

Extend grace because there is One who died for it. And He is the One who matters. Jesus died to extend His grace to me. 

  I don't deserve it.

    I don't earn it.

      

but He gives it.

  

He gives it because He loves me.

   He gives it because He IS love. He IS grace.

And He asks me to do the same. He asks us all to.

I have had to do my share of asking for grace. It has been humbling and heartbreaking at times.

    But is is freeing and fulfilling every time. 

And extending grace is the same. It is not an easy task.

   But it is freeing and fulfilling.

Do you need grace today? It's there....waiting for you.

 Or do you need to extend the grace? The giver of grace will help you; you just have to ask.

I am not an expert on grace. i am not a speaker. I am not really even technically a writer. So you don't have to take my word on this topic. I can say I have had to give grace when I didn't feel like it and i have had to ask for grace when it was difficult for others to give it. 

 But don't take my word about grace. Take His.
     He is the expert.
        He IS the giver of grace.  And I am every day thankful for that.
 Because of His grace, I can live in freedom.
   Freedom from sin. Freedom from my past. Freedom from hurts and wounds. Freedom from anger and bitterness.  Total freedom.

Grace. One of the most difficult, yet most beautiful, actions we can bestow.