God’s word is true and I believe it’s true.  So, even though I know I don’t deserve it, I am granted grace from God without condemnation.  Which absolutely amazes me.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I have to be transparent and honest with you on the message today.  I have a few people in my life that I’m really struggling to extend grace to at the moment.  As I prayed for God to tell me why, the answer became very clear.  It is not about them at all, it is really about me, and I mean all of it.  God extends me grace because He cares for me so much, when He does this He is not thinking of what I have previously done that makes me undeserving.  He is also not thinking about how my actions have affected Him and how that should change the way He looks at me. But, this is what I’m doing to those people. I’m so concerned with how I’ve watched their actions impact myself or the lives of loved ones around me (who I’m protective of) that I forget to even make an effort to view them in the same way Jesus would.  In fact, as I write this I understand even more that I’m allowing myself to be a person who doesn’t bear many fruits of the spirit when it comes to dealing with these individuals: I’m not loving, I show little joy around them (which only hurts me), I’m not peaceful in spirit, I lose patience and self control, I’m really not kind and there’s no way this can result in goodness. Above it all, I really show no faithfulness that if I were to make an effort to show them the same love and grace that God shows me, then maybe that example would allow Jesus into their hearts a little more.

When I’m around these individuals I have to do a better job of fixing my eyes on Jesus. I have to work to be less judgemental and critical.  I want to stay far away from bitterness and it’s my responsibility to do so.

There are multiple examples in the Bible of His works done on and through people who seemed to be the most undeserving.  I myself am undeserving.

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

M.I.T.T.

love, dlp