Give The Gift Of Grace This Christmas

Grace is such a beautiful word.

If you look it up Webster defines grace as:

Grace: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification; a temporary exemption;a special favor

Why is it so hard to give to others something we long for daily.

I have experienced judgement and I have experienced grace. Grace is what healed me. Grace is a gift. Can you think about a time when you knew you were wrong, that you had made a huge mistake and someone came alongside you and said I love you anyway. Those moments are life changing.

I am proposing we give the gift of grace this holiday season.

The holidays are fun, merry and bright. My nephews has been counting the days to Christmas for months now. They couldn’t wait for their house to sparkle and shine. But for many the holidays are painful.

For those who lost a loved one or is caring for someone sick, the holidays can be painful. For the un or under employed it is a reminder of what we lack or worry how we will make it through financially.

It can be a reminder that we didn’t accomplish what we hoped to that year. Unspoken dreams, disappointments or unmet expectations.

It represents the best and worst in our lives.

I love the holiday’s. I look forward to Thanksgiving and being with family. This weekend I pulled out the decorations and started transforming the house in a mini winter wonderland. But, if we are honest, each of us has those years or those moments where we think, how did I get here. One year, a long time ago, I somehow ended up doing everyone’s Christmas shopping. It was Christmas Eve and I was dragging a bag, too heavy to carry, through the mall. Somehow in that moment I wasn’t feeling the Christmas joy!

I am proposing we extend a bit of grace to those in our life that aren’t where we think they should be. That we would love those that are hurting, we would welcome those that are in need. That we would take a deep breath and think be we react.

That doesn’t mean we allow or promote unhealthy situations. But each day look for those moments where we can choose grace. The holidays present so many opportunities. The long lines, the traffic, the parking lots, so many opportunities to chose a moment of grace instead of anger or judgement.

What keeps you from extending grace? Where do you need prayer? Leave a comment below and I will pray for you today. Here are a few things to think about:

Where do you need grace in your life?

Who do you need to extend grace to in your life?

I started the series 30 Days To A More Meaningful Life. Due to a few technical difficulties including my computer melting down, I will be finishing it in January.