For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 NIV
Grace can be tricky to understand and quite honestly it still baffles me. I struggle to fully grasp what it means because in a way, it can mean many things. God's grace is a free gift of mercy and kindness even though we don't deserve it. His grace provides us with the freedom to live without worrying about eternal consequences for our mistakes. It's salvation, forgiveness, patience, new beginnings, provision, and so much more.
God's grace takes on so many forms, and I believe that is what makes it so difficult to define. Because of God's love, He has given us all the free gift of grace by sending Jesus to save us from our sins. And every morning we have a new opportunity to step into the new life He has provided for us all. But, He also provides us with individual gifts we may need as original children of God. Each person might need something different and God will provide for that person through grace. That grace might take the form of a relaxing moment in the midst of chaos, receiving an encouraging message when quitting seems like the answer, or patience when everything seems rushed and out of control.
Grace isn't circumstantial; it is free and given to every single one of us. God's grace isn't just providing us with what we do need, but rather it gives us far more than we could ever desire.
I didn't deserve grace and neither did you, but God has decided to give it to us freely because He loves us unconditionally. His grace rains down on all of mankind. And, we have the choice to pour out grace to others especially when they don't deserve it.
I've been hard on myself lately and extremely impatient. Grace has been on mind every single day for months now because I've been told repeatedly by God and other people that I need to show myself grace by accepting the grace that has been given to me for free. I've been realizing that expecting an end result almost immediately is overbearing, but understanding that life is a timely journey is grace.
God's grace sustains me; it gives me life in the middle of a dry season, freedom to be unapologetically me, and patience to be an extension of His grace. I am able to show myself grace, patience, and love when I mess up. And, I am able to show others the amazing power of God's grace. His grace truly is transformative.