Grace

I've been thinking about this word quite a bit lately - Grace?  What does it mean to me? What does it mean to others?  There are several different ways that word can be used.  It's such a delicate, soft and almost inspiring word when said.  Maybe that is because of the true meaning and very nature of the word.  Like the song says, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!"

I'm sure many of you like me have been through many difficult situations where you've had to show grace in the midst of them. A friend of mine likes to call these times "grace-builders".  Very often we rely on showing grace to others, even when we may not feel like it, or feel like it's deserved.  Those times are what builds grace up in us and allows us to show it over and over again, each time becoming a little easier than the last. 

BUT.....have you ever thought about Grace in relation to yourself?  I hadn't much, until recently.  Not too long ago, I made what I thought was an unforgivable mistake with my work.  I'm a pretty organized and detailed person, so to me, this mistake was unacceptable and there was no way I was going let myself off the hook for it.  I kept using the phrase, "I don't make mistakes like this!"  Those of you that are a bit of a perfectionist like me, will understand when I say, my mind could just not comprehend how I could've made this huge blunder!

Fortunately, I work with some amazing people and they all are great at that "grace thing"! Needless to say, everyone involved in the situation showed grace (more than I felt I deserved) and everything has worked out better than I could've expected. 

But for me, there was far more that I was being taught through this experience.  I was busy writing in my journal one day after this happened (I like to write - imagine that! 😉)  Anyway, as I was gushing and in awe about how the person directly affected by my mistake showed me so much grace, it was like God spoke into my heart and said, "Lori, why do you not show yourself this same grace?" I pondered that thought for quite a while.  I asked myself - did I not think that I deserved it? Did I think that I was above making a mistake? I would never think that of anyone else? We are all human and we all make mistakes.  But for some reason I could accept others mistakes but couldn't accept my own failures. 

As I sat contemplating all of this, I was reminded that EACH one of us is the ultimate example of what GRACE truly is!  God showed his perfect grace, by dying on the cross and forgiving each of us for every wrong doing that has happened or will happen. Who am I not to accept this grace and show it to myself?  At the end of a very long journaling session and hearing God's truth, I concluded that showing grace to myself in these situations would be a much better choice than continually beating myself up. 

I needed to first determine, who or what was at the center of my work and life? Was I doing my job just to please those around me or to genuinely please the God that gave me this work and life?  Once that was in perspective, I could agree to move on and allow myself to feel some of that grace that I so willingly gave to others.  It will be a continuing process and I'm sure God will have to gently remind me sometimes, but it's time - time to walk in God's grace and be free!

 Praying for God to show you His grace daily, Praising Him for the grace He has given and Pondering what comes next.