Extending Grace

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We could talk all day long about the beautiful word GRACE in regards to Jesus and His death on the cross so you and I are forgiven for our sins. We could talk all day long, lingering on the word GRACE as we let it melt into our hearts and and break away the walls that keep us from living a life totally at the throne of our King.

It is GRACE that God pours out on us even though we fail Him every day.

It is GRACE that God pours on us even though we don’t fully understand why He forgives the ugliest parts of our heart.

It is Grace that God pours out on us because He loves us with a fierce and jealous love. His GRACE welcomes us back into the presence of the Almighty King after we’ve walked away and lived in our own self-gratifying manner. 

It really doesn’t stop there, though. It doesn’t stop with us accepting that GRACE, living our life for Him and feeling good about it. We are called to EXTEND GRACE.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. {Matthew 18:21-22}

I encourage you to keep reading on in Matthew 18 and the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. How often do we quickly forget the great GRACE God poured out on us when someone else wrongs us or hurts our heart? It is tempting to allow ourselves to go down the road of anger — maybe rage — plotting and planning how we will prevail in the ugly situation. But Jesus is unequivocal in His commands that we are to forgive and keep forgiving because HE FIRST forgave us.

As I’ve worked through the concept of EXTENDING GRACE, God has given me a lens to look through in order to attempt to peek behind the motives of those in need of my GRACE. Sometimes I’ve looked through that lens of GRACE to see a heart that is hurting; the only way they know how to proceed is by lashing out at others. Sometimes I’ve looked through that lens of GRACE to see that intentions are not mean or vicious, but that there are other circumstances factoring into behaviors– things in the bigger picture.

Ask God to give you a lens of GRACE to look through so that you might obey the Seventy-Seven times command in Mathew 18.

 

EXTEND GRACE…

Source: Pinterest

 

~When someone cuts you off and flips the bird in rush hour traffic on the way home from a hectic day. Look through the lens of GRACE and say a prayer that person might find rest and relaxation after such a stressful day.

~When a friend ditches you for a “better” more exciting Saturday night. Look through the lens of GRACE and forgive, knowing that rejection by a friend doesn’t define you.

~When your boss passes you over for a promotion. Look through the lens of GRACE, continue to work your hiney off and be a great employee. Know that God’s got your back and has great things in store for those who love and adore Him.

~When you and your sibling have a knock down, blow out fight. Look through the lens of GRACE and ask for forgiveness. Do whatever you can to patch up the situation. Family is one of God’s wonderful gifts.

It’s not always fun or pleasant to step back, take a breath, look through the lens and EXTEND GRACE. The immediate gratification of anger or revenge tempts and draws us into a place that will lead to only darkness and separation from God.

Who do you need to EXTEND GRACE to today?

So, what do you think? Is this a toughy for you? Leave a comment and let’s chat about it!

Guest Post: A Story Of Forgiveness

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Meet my new friend Laurie! Can’t wait for you to read what she has to share…great stuff!

 

We all have a story to tell. We all live incredibly complex lives in the midst of an incredibly complex world. Yet, what blows my mind is that our stories are not truly our own. For, our story intersects the story––the story of Redemption.

This is where my story begins…

I met Jesus when I was 29. Quickly, my life and who I was began changing at rapid speed. Soon, I heard a call. It’s time to forgive, the Lord said. So, I embarked on journey following the One who would lead me toward healing and wholeness.

You see, nine years before this, I found myself sitting at a park, my mind reeling and attempting to make sense of my new reality, with little success. My dad had been murdered only days before. Anthony, the man who murdered my dad, was a mere five miles away in a jail cell. I thought of him. I thought of my dad. It all felt so meaningless. Like a waste.

Inundated with confusion, grief, and anger, I softly began to speak to my boyfriend, now husband, Travis. “They say that everything happens for a reason,” I said with my head down, playing with a blade of grass. “But how could there be a reason for this?” I wasn’t looking for a response, and Travis didn’t have one.

Nothing made sense to me. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what had happened. My dad was gone. Only days before, we were vacationing together, laughing, sitting atop our houseboat, watching the sun set. And now he was gone. My life would never be the same.

After the murder, forgiveness was something I aspired toward. I knew I needed to forgive in order to heal, yet I did not know the One who could bring the healing I so desperately needed. For nine years, I attempted to will myself into this place of healing, with little success.

So, when Jesus called me to love and forgive Anthony, I chose––through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit––to follow. What happened next was nothing less than a work of God. Not only did I receive healing from my past, but I witnessed Jesus redeem Anthony and bring him to a place of repentance. I saw Jesus bring good out of evil, love out of hate, and peace out of despair.

It was then that I began to understand that while God does not will evil to be done, He is faithful to use it for good. Just as Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

Honestly, I have seen the unimaginable happen. I know first hand that it is God’s intention to take the horrible chapters of our past and create beauty out of our darkness.

Toward the end of my journey, I heard Jesus say, Laurie, this is what your journey has been all about. Changing lives. Bringing good out of evil. Beauty out of ashes. This is where it’s at. Not in your past. But what I will do with your past if you will continue to follow me wherever I lead.

God is good. It is His desire to lift us out of our despair and our pain and bring us to a new place. A place that is rich in beauty and blessing. Yet, God has shown me that in order to get there, we must choose, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, to say yes. To say yes, my Lord, I will follow You. Yes, my Lord, I will obey Your commands. For, it is when we lay down our fear, our pride, and our resistance that we are able to experience life as He intended. The life that Jesus died for us to have.

This, my dear sisters, is where redemption happens.

I encourage you to lay down your wounds––past or present––before the Lord. A new story––a story of redemption––awaits you. Press in, and you will witness the power of our mighty God.

{A beautiful story of redemption awaits you.}

What wounds do you need to submit to the Lord for healing? Leave a comment or prayer request below!

Laurie Coombs is a writer who encourages others to draw closer to the heart of Jesus. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband, Travis. They have two little girls and are in the process of adopting one or two more children from Ethiopia. Be sure to visit Laurie on her Blog, LaurieCoombs.org, and on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Low-Maintenance Friend

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My phone tweeped all day long with sweet birthday messages from “friends” on Facebook. You know, those generic “happy birthdays” and “hope your day is great” type of wall posts that make you feel ever so popular. Because I’m a freak about making birthdays awesome, including my own, these tweeps on my smart phone set me on cloud nine the entire day.

 

Source:   Pinterest

 

I mentally checked off every friend who texted well wishes and took note of every friend who neglected me on my big day. A happy heart turned into one of grumbling and bitterness. The unattainably high bar I set for my friends crashed down and threaten to ruin the very day I wait for all year long.

High maintenance described me to a tee.

High-Maintenance: 

~ A friend who expects more than she could ever fulfill herself.

~A friend who balks at a favor never returned.

~A friend who thrives on what she desires from others rather than look to Jesus to meet the deepest, darkest needs of her heart.

This tiresome way of relating placed me in a void where though I adore my friends, there was no way they would live up to my high-maintenance standards. Over time I realized these expectations placed on my girlfriends stressed me out more than necessary and added pressure to the relationship. I determined to re-think these standards and live as a low-maintenance friend instead.

Low-Maintenance:

~ A friend who seeks to love and cherish her girlfriends without adding any unnecessary pressure or expectations to the relationship.

~ A friend is ready and willing to get in the trenches of life with her girlfriends –– she is full of encouragement and advice.

~ A friend who allows space if needed to give her girlfriend room to breath.

~ A friend who loves Jesus first and foremost, who allows Him to fulfill her needs rather than depend on her girlfriends to pour into her heart.

I love how Matthew 22:37 encourages us to live life with a pure focus on loving God first with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. This gives me a new measuring stick for which I live out my friendships as well –– placing my standards and need for love and acceptance on Jesus first, not my friends. This naturally sets me up to be a low-maintenance friend. A friend that just enjoys hanging out with her girlfriends, no strings attached, no pressure, no stress.

So what do you think? What is one way you can be a low-maintenance friend TODAY?

Leave a comment. Let’s chat…