FINDING GRACE

I've been looking for Grace for the past several years. Grace is something that fascinates me. The more I learn about grace, the more I realize how woefully lacking I am. Not that I lack God's grace because I have found His grace is sufficient. What I am short of is BEING gracious. I am learning how to humble myself and surrender my needs through Life's lessons. There's no such thing as a Christian having certain rights; I don't deserve anything at all. This year is half over and I still hope to make progress when it comes to BEING gracious. I am drawn to people of grace. They don't even realize they are exuding grace, it just flows naturally out of them.

Here's the key. I can't fake being gracious. I can't work up true humility. I can't work at being virtuous. I can have a long list of do's and don'ts but that won't make me gracious. I can look real good like shining brass but tarnish will show up over time-often when I'm tested. And when I'm tested,
what is on the inside is going to come out. The key is much like the truth Dorothy learned during her trip to Oz. I found grace inside of me. It was there all along. And I will see my graciousness grow as my relationship with my Heavenly Father grows.

I hope to have the fruit of Grace as I grow. Grace bears many types of fruit. Fruit like: joyfulness, sincerity, peacefulness, contentedness, humility. A woman of grace has a beautiful countenance that reflects the glow of Jesus. She has a simple elegance that draws others to her. Her virtues are respected throughout the land. She lacks bitterness because she doesn't hold a grudge. Her positive outlook keeps her focus where it needs to be. Her mouth and attitudes are in check, disciplined by the principles found in God's Word. She is a woman of prayer to a God she is intimately familiar with. What a lovely woman!

Of course, men can also seek to have more grace in their lives. I know it is tough to be both macho and gracious, but here is a reality check for you, “Real men DO eat quiche!” In other words, no matter how tough the exterior, men and women both can have a heart full of grace as they allow God to work in their lives.

Romans 12:10 says “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” To me, that is what grace is all about.

Still growing as a human being, not a human doing.