Grounded in Grace| Faith
Is it just me, or do many of us struggle with grace when it comes to ourselves and others? It’s giving judge(y) if I’m being honest! Grace is something that we get to experience daily every moment that we have to be present. For many reasons we tend (let me speak for me) … I tend to have a hard time extending myself grace… why? Is it that I don't feel deserving of it and I’m unsure how to properly grace myself when needed? Could it be a lack of understanding of how it works? To answer transparently “YES!” Let’s talk about it…
Grace is defined as undeserved favor; God’s grace specifically abounds which means it is abundant and plentiful.
Disclaimer: My human grace isn’t that, but in striving to extend that same grace God does to me, to myself and others we practice until we persist.
On my journey, I have always set higher standards for myself because I know my potential, and I have big goals, BIG! We’re not going to be playing small over here; anyway, I figured out at a young age how hard I am on myself because I know what I am capable of and it’s something I have carried with me all through life. Moments of that in my schooling, personal achievements and those God-forbidden personal timelines (which can be unrealistic if not careful). These things have been some of the reasons I struggle in the grace area concerning me. It’s caused my perspective to blur, my attitude to shift, comparison, and some negative talk, so you know we had to redirect that energy. I had to practice grace; you know the phrase “It starts at home” it’s true. In my personal practice, I had to chill, and I mean pump the breaks and check myself regularly. For me, journaling came in handy in keeping track of my accomplishments big and small, practicing gratitude, and giving myself the space to rest.
One thing I’ve learned about grace and can be sure of is that God is gracious because he extends his grace and mercy daily. His grace is different, it’s a sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 12:9) the kind that knows no bounds. That’s the grace we should mirror, What I love about grace is how much we can learn from it. It teaches patience, forgiveness, and mindfulness; it teaches acceptance and awareness, it allows space. Although we aren’t perfect, we still have access to good things even when we’re undeserving of them. It’s humbling to walk in grace and posture yourself with gratitude for what you have, it’s unconditional, and it gives permission to grow and be better.
How do we practice grace in our daily lives? It starts with us, showing up for ourselves, being gentle, and speaking kindly to ourselves. Understanding that we make mistakes learn from them, keep going and move forward. Grace requires patience, listening before reacting, and compassion, it’s one of those things that if you aren’t extending grace to yourself it shows in how you interact with others. Treat others the way we’d like to be treated and show forgiveness toward others. Let’s not be so quick to judge others because we hardly get it right ourselves; especially the first time.
Grow in grace!
Xo, Tee