Thursday, November 8, 2012

Grace

This is one of those posts that is beginning with a random thought circling around in my head. I have no idea if this will come out as a coherent thought, or if it will be a bunch of gibberish. So I guess we'll find out together :) I plan to just type and hit publish, so forgive me for typos and any other errors you find.

I keep hearing, over and over that so-and-so doesn't "deserve" something.

"That person on the corner doesn't deserve any of my hard-earned money."

"My husband never cleans up, so he doesn't deserve me to cook for him."

Or, conversely, that someone does deserve something.

"I deserve to relax during naptime because my kids are driving me crazy."

"I deserve that night out because I never get time to myself."

... and it goes on and on.

Now I'm not saying that all of those things are *bad* things. I'm just saying that I think we have it all wrong. The fact is, no one deserves anything. No one. We all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. All of us. So we're all adulterers, murderers, gossipers, slanderers. All of us.

And then there's this wonderful thing called Grace. Grace that none of us deserve. Grace that no one has done anything to earn. Grace that God lavishes upon us anyways.

So who cares if your husband is a bad husband? Be a good wife anyways.  Who cares what the person on the corner is going to do with the money you give them? Give it anyways. Your kids driving you nuts? Serve them by keeping a clean home anyways. Never get any time to yourself? Be joyful anyways.

I hope this goes without saying, but I am definitely talking to myself as well as I'm writing this. This morning I found myself losing my patience over and over again and praying for grace and patience over and over again. Some days I am so weary that I long for a trip to get coffee by myself like some people long for Hawaiian vacations. But I am trying very hard to rid myself of the sense of entitlement that I sometimes bring to my prayers. To live my life humbly, not haughtily.  Because I am very, very blessed.

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