Jesus is teaching me what grace looks like. I believe Him to be the best professor out there for this subject. He is teaching me to see where I have received grace. He then gently turns me around to give it away.
It isn't easy. But it's beautiful.
What does this grace look like in my life? and the lives of those around me?
In my life..
Grace is receiving when undeserving.
Grace is when I forget an assignment and my professor lets me turn it in late.
Grace is when my friends laugh at jokes I make up that clearly aren't very funny.
Grace is when I don't have enough money for tuition, and a friend pays the balance.
Grace is when I fail a thousand times, and I continue to receive favor.
Grace is when I have been hurt by a friend and I am only able to extend love and forgiveness because of the love and forgiveness I have been shown.
In the lives around me..
'Grace is receiving love I don't deserve with gentleness and humility.'
'Grace is when I receive something I don't deserve.. like frozen yogurt in my freezer.'
'Grace is when Christ chooses to take the ugly from my life and replace it with beauty.'
'Grace is when God plucks us up from the ground after we trip and fall over our own two feet.'
'Grace is when my friends still laugh at the stories they've heard me tell six times.'
'Grace is when I forgive those who have caused hurt and when they forgive me for the hurt I have caused.'
'Grace is when my sins are forgiven and forgotten.'
'Grace is when someone doesn't do exactly what I want them to and I let it go and remember to put their needs or desires above my own.'
'Grace is when I let God into the deepest parts of my life; when I trust Him and have faith to believe that His grace is fervently cleansing my deepest, darkest parts.
'Grace is when a friend I've neglected for weeks is the first to reach out to me in a time of need.'
'Grace is when God looks upon me with undeserved favor.'
'Grace is when I come to the Father each morning with the guilt from the day before knowing that He is willing to take my shame from me even when I am undeserving.'
'Grace is when I walk away or fail Him in some way and God extends forgiveness and restoration in spite of my lack of fidelity.'
'Grace is when I receive what I don't deserve.'
'Grace is when I receive something I completely don't deserve.'
'Grace is when you get to have a fresh start.'
After reading through these responses I received, I'm able to see a theme in my answers as well as those of others. There is nothing we can do to receive Grace. Grace is not something we can gain. Grace is simply something that is given or received that is undeserved, completely undeserved. It is favor given. Favor shown when we least expect it, least deserve it.
God wants to show favor to us. God does show favor to us. God gives and we receive when we don't deserve. God gave and we received even when we didn't deserve. In Romans it says,
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Talk about undeserving. Talk about Grace.
Receive this grace freely given.
GRACE, n. /ɡreɪs/
free and unmerited favor, manifestation of favor, a matter of favour and not of right
It isn't easy. But it's beautiful.
What does this grace look like in my life? and the lives of those around me?
In my life..
Grace is receiving when undeserving.
Grace is when I forget an assignment and my professor lets me turn it in late.
Grace is when my friends laugh at jokes I make up that clearly aren't very funny.
Grace is when I don't have enough money for tuition, and a friend pays the balance.
Grace is when I fail a thousand times, and I continue to receive favor.
Grace is when I have been hurt by a friend and I am only able to extend love and forgiveness because of the love and forgiveness I have been shown.
In the lives around me..
'Grace is receiving love I don't deserve with gentleness and humility.'
'Grace is when I receive something I don't deserve.. like frozen yogurt in my freezer.'
'Grace is when Christ chooses to take the ugly from my life and replace it with beauty.'
'Grace is when God plucks us up from the ground after we trip and fall over our own two feet.'
'Grace is when my friends still laugh at the stories they've heard me tell six times.'
'Grace is when I forgive those who have caused hurt and when they forgive me for the hurt I have caused.'
'Grace is when my sins are forgiven and forgotten.'
'Grace is when someone doesn't do exactly what I want them to and I let it go and remember to put their needs or desires above my own.'
'Grace is when I let God into the deepest parts of my life; when I trust Him and have faith to believe that His grace is fervently cleansing my deepest, darkest parts.
'Grace is when a friend I've neglected for weeks is the first to reach out to me in a time of need.'
'Grace is when God looks upon me with undeserved favor.'
'Grace is when I come to the Father each morning with the guilt from the day before knowing that He is willing to take my shame from me even when I am undeserving.'
'Grace is when I walk away or fail Him in some way and God extends forgiveness and restoration in spite of my lack of fidelity.'
'Grace is when I receive what I don't deserve.'
'Grace is when I receive something I completely don't deserve.'
'Grace is when you get to have a fresh start.'
After reading through these responses I received, I'm able to see a theme in my answers as well as those of others. There is nothing we can do to receive Grace. Grace is not something we can gain. Grace is simply something that is given or received that is undeserved, completely undeserved. It is favor given. Favor shown when we least expect it, least deserve it.
God wants to show favor to us. God does show favor to us. God gives and we receive when we don't deserve. God gave and we received even when we didn't deserve. In Romans it says,
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Talk about undeserving. Talk about Grace.
Receive this grace freely given.
GRACE, n. /ɡreɪs/
free and unmerited favor, manifestation of favor, a matter of favour and not of right