Shouts of GraceVoorbeeld

Grace for Others

When I was first saved over 25 years ago, I was taught Ephesians 2:8, “It is by His grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” It was easy for me to receive God’s gift and grace for my life. Why then was it hard for me to extend grace to others that needed grace just as much as I did? Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received; freely give.” It is God’s grace that they need, so my love and grace for others should be a reflection of what God has done for me.

Extending grace—to the coworker that comes late and wastes the entire day on social media, the neighbor that always blocks your driveway with their trash cans, the family member who does not understand why you go to church and puts you down, or the extended family that wants to remind you of your rugged past—can be difficult. But God wants them all to experience His grace through us.

Extending grace to others takes faith and an understanding of God’s grace for us. After all, God's grace for us will allow us to extend grace to others. It is through God’s ability that we have the strength to offer grace to others.

There is hope in the Gospel. Please read the opening scripture (1 Timothy 1:13-16) again, slowly. Paul explains that he was the worst of the worst and yet God poured out His grace upon him when he was undeserving so he would become an example of how to display that grace to others. Paul himself set out to tell the world about this overwhelming grace that was provided to him, and to them—sinners all.

Learning to forgive others is obtainable. When we receive God’s forgiveness, we are forgiven. That’s a fact. God does not remind us of our sins and shortcomings, in fact He washes us clean and we are made new. Receiving that forgiveness and grace comes with a requirement. Jesus says in Matthew 6:15 (NIV), “if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Just as Jesus forgives me and forgives you, we need to forgive others.

God’s grace is displayed for the world to see when we forgive others and offer each other love just as in Christ God forgave us. With God’s grace -- “the sovereign divine ability, to get the job done on my behalf when I can’t do it” -- you will forgive others quickly and find the hope of the gospel to offer love and grace to those who need it. In the process of giving grace to others, we learn to be more dependent on God’s grace ourselves, and we are operating in the truth that His grace is sufficient to help us to extend grace.

- Reverend Stephanie Moore

Prayer

Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal to you when you have not extended grace to others. Ask God to reveal the root of what causes you to withhold grace and to help you in those areas.

Journal Directions

Is there someone you have a hard time forgiving? Journal out your frustration and then write in your journal the forgiveness you desire to give. As you journal continuously, give thanks and praise for the forgiveness and grace God has freely given to you. Find scriptures that encourage you to grow in God’s grace for others.