Thanksgiving is just around the corner and the blitz for family time, food, and travel is well underway and we are all in need of more grace! It always amazes me that in a season where we are asked to remember what we are thankful for, we end up being the most critical people who are unable to show grace. When I write these words I am speaking about myself first.
I realized over the last week leading up to thanksgiving that all the preparation and trying to get caught up with work so I can enjoy time with family has caused me to be short and sometimes plain mean to my family, I think the dog gets the worst of it! The journey of giving and extending grace can sometimes be long and complicated, filled with unexpected turns and challenges.
A Reflection Of The Condition Of Our Heart
Then it hit me. The extent of how gracious I am is a deep reflection of the condition of my heart. My critical nature, being short, and angry were all symptoms of a heart that really was not thankful. In many ways a thankful heart produces a gracious person. I think the Apostle Paul’s words are helpful to in this regard (Col 4:6)
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person*”
Really, being a gracious person is not an option for the Christian. As we understand and remind ourselves of how God rescued and delivered us our natural response should be to extend grace to others. Sadly, in times of stress we so easily run hard after achieving our goals that we neglect to rest in the grace of God.
How Do We Extend Grace?
Some of us feel a sense of defeat when it comes to extending grace. We may feel that we are just critical people. We are flawed and there is no hope, rather we just have to deal with the affects. However, this is true for all of us. We are all hopeless and not capable of extending grace and being a people filled with grace apart from Christ. I appreciate how Charles Spurgeon comments on this topic of being a grace filled people.
“you may have some grace in your heart, but it is dropped there like small rain from heaven, you have not got it “poured” there; you may be ever so full of grace, but Christ is more full than you are; and when you are ever so reduced in grace, it is a consolation that with him is plenteous grace, plenty that knows no lack, for grace is poured into his lips” – C. H. Spurgeon*
Spurgeon
While we may have some grace in our hearts, we have to recognize that it is nothing compared to the fully sufficient grace that is found in Christ. The real challenge happens when we try to extend and be a people of grace based on our own means or ability. Even our ability to extend grace is fully reliant on Christ who is full; even overflowing, with grace. Therefore, lets find our hope, rest, and sufficiency in Him.
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C. H. Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 54 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1908), 98.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Col 4:6.
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