His Grace is Enough

I've gotten a little behind and off track this week.  I will continue to write about what we eat soon, but first I had to share what's been on my mind.  This week was one of the hardest I have had in a long time.  An absolute roller coaster of emotions.  One minute I was on cloud nine being romanced by and swooning over my husband.  Then in the next breath I was bawling my eyes out over the heartache that surrounds me that I have zero control over.  This time this up and down, back and forth was not caused by me just being an overly emotional, crazy woman.  It really was that hard of a week and there really is that much going on right now.  As I was thinking back over the past few years this post came to mind.  One in which I wrote about Sovereignty vs. Responsibility.  I still agree 100% with what I wrote that day, but I would like to add something.  You see, over the past three years I feel like we have grown up by ten.  Some of this growth happened because of trials and heartache.  Some was the continual mentoring and investing in our lives by friends and family.  But in reality the primary source of our growth came from The Lord and the way he faithfully shows us grace each day.  Grace, this was the piece I was missing before.  I knew it was there.  I knew we were saved by it.  I didn't really comprehend that daily grace, though.  The grace that God gives each time we snap at our kids or husband.  The grace for those days when we really just want to ignore the dirty dishes and laundry.  The grace that covers us in those moment when less than kind words are said to our friends.  Grace that is extended to us when sinful thoughts fill our heads.  It's that grace that I have learned to appreciate and somewhat rely on the past few years.  It's that grace that allows me to "restart" my day at any moment I choose.  It's that grace that I now try to extend to others no matter how bad they don't "deserve" it.

When I wrote that post 3 years ago I was angry.  My family had been hurt so badly and I didn't feel like my heart would ever be the same.  But as time went on I realized that I couldn't live in bitterness and anger forever.  After all, if I was given what I "deserved" God would've  just wiped me out right then and there years ago.  But he didn't.  He covered me with his grace and I am so thankful for that.  We are to live our lives striving each day to be more like Jesus and that means showing grace to others.  No matter what.  No questions asked.  This is so much easier said than done.  Jesus is perfect, we are not.  Our sinful natures want to hold grudges.  We want to get revenge.  We want them to get what's coming to them.  Think for a moment though about the tables being turned.  You're having a bad day and say something or do something you shouldn't.  Wouldn't you want to be forgiven?  By showing someone that wrongs you, whether intentional or not, God's love and grace you are doing exactly what we are called to do.  You are being the hands and feet of Christ.  You are showing them that there is more to this life than just the daily grind.  You are making a difference and possibly a bigger one than you realize.

As I said in my previous post three years ago I believe that we are held accountable for our actions and there are consequences, but most importantly if we are believers our sins are covered by the blood of Christ.  Isaiah 1:18 says "Come now, and let us reason together,” saith the Lord. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  Isn't that wonderful news, to know your sins are completely forgiven, wiped clean.  Instead of spending all of eternity suffering and in misery (which is definitely what we deserve) we get to spend it in Paradise worshipping our Savior forever! Praise the Lord and Hallelujah!!!!