Grace

I find it is difficult for me to remain peaceful when someone does something that I have already expressed drives me crazy. For example, I have shared repeatedly with my daughter that I DO NOT like it when she stomps off in my house like she pays rent! It makes my blood pressure rise and makes me want to take the door off the hinges and “Kunta Kinta” one of her feet (lbs). It is in those moments that it is  hard for me to find grace for her and other people but I am working on it. It just dawned on me that God likely gives us a lot of grace because 1. He loves us but 2. He doesn’t want to be stressed out worrying about us and the things that we do that drive him crazy. For those who believe that God can’t possibly be bothered by what we do, think again. The bible says that we are created in his imagine and likeness. God was so upset with the Israelites he let them go around the same mountain for 40 years. The Bible also says that Jesus came from God and was indeed God in flesh. We all know that Jesus got upset at people a few times. Recall when he was turning over tables in the church house because people were abusing it? But I digress.

 Anyway,  I am sure that if God did not give is grace freely, but instead punished us each time we did something that wasn’t right or just down- right got on his nerves he would not have much time to bless us. For example, have you ever had to discipline a child for acting up? If not let me tell you it is a chore and quiet stressful if you have to do it on a regular basis. You have to take the time to discuss the issue and then hand out the punishment. 9 times out of 10 the punishment is harder on you than it is on them! You have to watch them suffer and sometimes suffer with them. Ever tell an 8 year old they can’t play their D.S. or be on the computer and then want to do some reading? Or be in the house with your spouse and you both are walking around not speaking and the air is so thick you can’t breathe? Yea, good luck with that lol.

 Sometimes it’s just best to show your children and people some grace to save yourself the headache and restore YOUR peace. I am not saying that you shouldn’t do it for the love of them, but you certainly should do it for the love of YOU. It’s a win-win situation, the person does not have to feel as if they have to be perfect and you don’t have to be stress about them either lol. Along with that the people who you give grace will likely give you grace in the future and we ALL can use some grace.  With that being said, this does not mean that you turn into a doormat and start letting people run all over you. Of course if you have shown your child much grace and they still are producing the same behavior than a loving punishment is necessary. I don’t know about you but God has gotten my behind MANY times. In the words of my great-grandmother God had to show me that “fat meat is greasy”!

 Without hesitation I will tell you this is easier said than done. God can do it so well because he has not been  jaded by this world. His entire thought process is based in love and peace. Thus it’s nothing to the “G” to just give you some grace and keep on going. You on the other hand are in the world and at one point were of it. Which means your ego and patience is likely extremely low. So just know that it will take time and prayer to develop your grace muscle. But once you began to master it you will find that you have an abundance of peace and that will make it all worth it.