Grace

More about change later…

I’m realizing more and more that I am on a journey. And so is everyone around me. I was made by the Master Craftsman, but you know, He is still working on me. I am not finished by any means. I’m not even close. There are so many flaws in me, broken pieces and sharp corners, places that need to be smoothed, places that need to be fixed. And I’m coming to the conclusion that I need more grace. For others but also for myself.

I have always had high standards for others as well as for myself. And consequently, I get disappointed a lot. But taking a moment out of my disappointment to reflect, I am hit with the thought that some who have disappointed me really are trying their best. It wasn’t their motivation or intention to disappoint me; probably it has more to do with a lack of maturity, and even more than that, it has to do with the expectations I placed on them (whether I realized I was placing expectations on them or not). Granted, they are responsible for their actions, and there is always room for growth. But I’m learning that I need to have grace for them. I think that’s related to my earlier post Love Endures. I read today in Proverbs 19 that “the discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression.” Overlooking a transgression. That’s grace. That’s the love that endures all things. I’m not advocating the lack of accountability or communication in our relationships. I’m not saying we should take our disappointments and sweep them under the rug and pretend we were never hurt. But to learn to take our hearts to the Lord, ask Him to help us forgive those who have disappointed us and then extend grace to those people. The Lord will work on their hearts; that’s not our job.

Our job is to cultivate our hearts and care for our own vineyards (Song of Solomon 1). We don’t have to have it together all the time. And it’s foolishness to pretend that we do. I think maturity is admitting to ourselves that sometimes we are a mess and we need Jesus to come and help. That’s extending grace to ourselves. And I think we need more of it. Not to excuse our bad behavior or our sin, but to do our best to honor the Lord and others in all we do, knowing sometimes we’re going to slip, but also knowing He reaches down with His mighty right hand and He picks us back up. Every time. I was reminded recently of something one of my friends says so often: He is so faithful He will not leave us as we are. It’s true. He is committed to this work of art He started. The Author and Perfecter of our faith will indeed finish the good work He began in us. And believe it or not, it is His joy to do so.

Encouragement:
Mainstream Wait and See (Brandon Heath)
Old School :) Please Be Patient with Me (Albertina Walker)