G is for Grace

 Grace has taken over.  It has caused me to stop and think about what it really means.  I didn't intentionally seek to learn more about grace, but here recently it comes up in many conversations.  It is hard to have a conversation about something that you haven't taken the time to learn about for yourself.  I have taken the challenge to learn more about the grace which is freely given.

Often when I hear about grace, it isn't the grace given from the Creator to man, but it is mostly spoken about in the form of person to person.  I was reminded of one conversation I had a few years ago when I was teaching.  I sent out an email to all of the teachers about being courteous when it came to sending items down to the lounge printer.  The backstory is there was a school-wide printer, we were rationed paper, and teachers would send plenty of pages to be printed. The issue was the paper wasn't always replenished by the teachers who sent lots of pages to be printed, and one could find herself running back and forth to have enough paper to ensure that her pages would actually print. A colleague approached me about the email.  She wondered if I could have offered grace.  I took her words into consideration.  In the midst of thinking, another colleague sent me an email and shared that she appreciated the email I sent because the situation happened too often.  Technically, the email that was sent didn't actually pertain to either of these colleagues.  One gave me enough paper to make sure my pages printed so I wouldn't need to go downstairs, and the other was the technology teacher who rarely used that particular printer. They both offered different perspectives which made me think.

What I learned from this situation is grace is a gift. It shouldn't be expected, but if it is offered it should be appreciated.

Over the years, I have observed many people flaunting the fact that they have given grace to this person or that one. I have heard grace being demanded.  In my heart and mind, I don't believe that this is what grace is. Merriam- Webster says, grace is "unmerited help given to people by God (as in overcoming temptation)."

Two things stand out for me:

1. It is not given because it is deserved.

2. It comes from the Creator.

My understanding of grace is it is something that is given from God. I don't take it as a from person to person act. When grace is extended through me, I know that is God offering favor to the other person.  It is not me.  I cannot and will not take credit for something that He gives.  When grace is extended from me,  I trust in Him to offer the healing or the whatever is missing which caused grace to be extended. As I learn more and more about the character of the Creator, I also know that grace alone is not always extended in every situation.  There are times where correction accompanies grace. In my own life, I often find correction along with grace.  The grace He freely gives also opens my eyes to the many things that I cannot do alone.  It is only through Him that I am here.

What are your thoughts on grace?  I am still learning so please share. :)

This post is a part of the Blogging Through the Alphabet Series.

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