More Beauty Less Messಮಾದರಿ

My mother had endless grace for teenage me.

I wrecked her van. She gave me grace. I stayed out too late. She showed me grace. When I talked back to her, she forgave me despite my lack of an apology. I didn’t appreciate how much she did for me, yet she loved me anyway. I almost flunked out of college my first semester. She still paid for the remainder of the year though I didn’t deserve the gift of tuition.

Can anyone relate? As an adult, I look back and see just how much grace my mom showered on me—grace in place of grace—as John 1:16 verse mentions.

I am still receiving this precious gift though now I’m the mother rather than the daughter.

I have a tendency to be hot-headed. A yeller with a bit of a temper. I hate this about myself and am constantly working on this sinful part of me. As I’ve walked with Jesus, I’ve grown stronger at resisting my urge to anger easily. But, admittedly, there are times when my daughter messes up, and I lose control. My anger feels justified in the moment, so I scream words I don’t really mean. I’ve even been known to slam a few doors and chuck a phone across the room.

Usually, it takes only one second afterward for guilt to seep in and an apology to flow from my mouth.

And my daughter, my young, precious daughter, forgives me and lets me hit a reset button. No matter how many outbursts I’ve displayed over the years, she always shows me grace. And with God’s help, I plan to do the same for her.

These examples in my life help me to understand God’s grace in a tangible way. Jesus heaps grace on me over and over. For all my wrongs. Not just the ones committed toward my mother or daughter, but those done against everyone my entire life. It’s hard to fathom. Because Jesus is full of grace, it overflows from Him. It’s His nature. When we belong to Him, the undeserved free gift of forgiveness never runs out.

Let your loving and forgiving relationships as mother and daughter remind you of the incredible gift you’ve received as a believer and help you to extend grace to each other over and over.

~Kristen Terrette