Amazing Grace

When my children were each 5 years old I had them memorize Psalm 103. I wanted God's character branded on their little hearts, and their default setting to be: "God is good, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, He does not treat me as I deserve to be treated because of my great sin, He knows that I am made of dust...." Since then, many times in my prays I have gone back to that Psalm and been overwhelmed with gratitude that He truly does not treat me the way I deserve to be treated because of my sin. I am so aware of and humbled by His grace.

Recently I was praying and thanking Him for that and felt that He whispered to my heart, "Do you extend the same grace?" I had to ponder that and allow Him to show me the ways that I do NOT extent that same grace to those around me, often those I dearly love. 

When I see someone not doing what I know they should do, not living as they should live, choosing sin, and heaven forbid not doing what I've told them to do.....always for their own good of course.....my tendency is not to extend grace. My tendency is to at least withdraw my affection and approval for a while. After all, how will they come around and do right if I just keep loving them and walking close beside them?

The truth is that God hasn't called me to fix people or to make sure they live right. He has called me to speak truth and to love. Only HE can change and heal a heart, only HE can call a person's soul to Himself. I've had a lot of repenting and changing to do. I happen to like helping the Holy Spirit out! 

To love is always the right thing to do. I'm asking the Holy Spirit to point out to me any time I am not extending the grace that has been extended to me in such a loving way. I'm learning to walk with people on their journey and not dictate the steps, I'm learning to love even when they are wrong....not condone or approve, but always to love and never to withdraw my affection.

I pray that you are aware of God's character and unconditional love for you, regardless of your sin and missed steps. I'm sorry if you have been treated the way you you deserved to be because you sin. 

I pray that a lost and hopeless world will be amazed as they see the same grace we've received in those of us who represent Him!

To love is always the right thing to do! What amazing grace!