Live in Pursuit of Grace

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"But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]." 1 Corinthians 13:31 (AMP)

 We can not go through life without experiencing, at some point, hurt, rejection, trials, sickness, etc. It is part of life. But as God put it to me very directly years ago- while I was complaining about some things that were going on in my life- He said: "I am not as concerned with WHAT you are going through as to HOW you are going through them". He cares about what we go through, for sure. But He cares more about how we are going through them. Are we going through them with revenge on our minds? Is there bitterness in our spirits towards those who have hurt us or failed us? What drives us- our craving to be right in whatever happened- make that person pay? Or are we concerned about being right with God. God always gives us a way of escape out of these situations- (1 Corinthians 10:13). One of the best escape routes is "grace". Grace in the midst of our storms, our trials. 

Webster defines grace as: "2b. a virtue coming from God. 3a. a charming or attractive trait or characteristic." . In the Amplified version- the word "graces" is used for "gifts". What I am speaking about here is not the gift of grace which applies to our salvation: "by grace we are saved" (Eph. 2:8-9)- but what I am referring to are those special graces- those gifts that we can use in place of our fleshly desires.  

I read somewhere that we should pull up to the "table of grace". I picture this as a beautiful, delicious looking buffet- full of wonderful and different types of food, deserts and delicacies. When we are wounded by others, feel forgotten or abandoned or when we are going through trials and storms- we have a choice as what we can do. We can either storm up to the buffet of regret, revenge, bitterness, anger, etc- or we can stroll up to the buffet of graces- such as kindness, giving, joy. 

1 Thessalonians 5:15-23 lists several graces that we can choose from:

Vs. 15- the grace of pursuing  what is good- don't exact revenge. Remember that "vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:17-19)  

16- the grace of joy. We can choose joy in the midst of pain.

Vs. 17- the grace of prayer- pray for those who have hurt you, those who use you unkindly, etc. Pray for yourself- go to God first and tell Him how you feel- He already knows- but He wants you to come to Him.

Vs. 18- the grace of gratitude- giving thanks in all things- not for all things, but to be mindful to give thanks to God in the midst of whatever you are going through.

Vs. 19- the grace of allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through you, go to Him as your counselor, your comforter, your encourager. You don't need everyone's opinion. Go to God first!

Vs 20-the grace of God's Word spoken over you and the written Word of God- the Bible

Vs. 21- the grace of holding on to what is good. Look for the hand of God in your situation. Look for the good in your situation.

We can choose the gift of giving- forgiveness to those who have offended us; generosity to others even during our times of suffering and struggles. We can find much joy in giving to others. We can even choose the gift of forgiving ourselves. Sometimes we beat ourselves up over the messes that are of our own making. We must choose to forgive ourselves. 

 We could go on: Psalm 37:3-8 speaks about trusting in the Lord, delight in the Lord, commit your way to the Lord, rest and wait in the Lord, cease from anger. In other words- let God handle things and don't take the situation into your own hands.

 The buffet of grace- filled with so many choices to choose from when we are going through struggles, frustrations, trials, rejection, sickness- instead of blaming God or wanting to get even- we need to stop and think about our reaction.  We need to come up to His buffet of graces and choose the ones that are appropriate to your situation. You will find that the peace that you receive will replace those feelings of the flesh. You will be healed and restored in your spirit and you will find a closeness to God that you hadn't had before- it is called maturity- acting and being right in spite of bad things happening to you.

Pursue Grace

Come to the buffet of Grace

Partake of the graces, those gifts that God offers you- free of charge.

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;" Psalm 34:8a

 

Blessings~Donna 

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