Grace

I never fully understood the word grace until recently. I mean I knew what it meant but actually experiencing it and having to give grace when I felt It wasn’t deserved, that’s tough. God gives us endless amounts of grace every single day. Every time we make a bad decision, God gives grace. Every time we give into our addiction and repent, God gives grace. He knows we probably will go right back to it, but love counts no wrongs. The key is repentance, accepting what you did was wrong, and allowing God to help you change your ways.

During the last season of my life, one of the most influential stores of the Bible that has really opened my eyes is Hosea. The book of Hosea is talking about the Israelites praising a false God and gives an example by talking about an unfaithful wife. Basically, Hosea was told by God to marry a prostitute, love her, have a family, and give everything for his marriage. Hosea does just that and Gomer (his wife) decides that’s not enough. She had beautiful children with him but she went back to her old ways and back into prostitution and got sold into slavery. The one main reason in the Bible that allows divorce is adultery, God hates divorce but is accepting if there is an adulterer in the marriage. Gomer committed adultery so bad that most humans would of been like, “No, peace out! I’m taking the kids, have fun in slavery.” But God told Hosea to go back and buy his wife out of slavery, show her love and grace as Christ would and continue growing in their marriage together. Can you imagine having to look at your spouse after that and live with them. Pay your money to buy her back after her foolish mistakes.

If Hosea can forgive and give that much grace to Gomer, why can’t we? God still loves us after we do bad things and just hands over grace to allow us to restart and continue our lives. We should be able to give just a little grace to others that might of hurt us or upset us in some way. Forgiveness and grace will give you such a peaceful heart, it’s amazing. Don’t feel like you have to carry the weight of hatred and frustration. That’s Gods job, he wants to deal with them and give you peace while he works. You have to be willing to give him your heart and allow his grace to help you. People stress so much because (like me) we feel that we are in charge and have to change the situation. In reality, it’s Gods job because you have no idea what his plan is.

I had to pray..every. single. day. for months for God to help show me how to give grace when I felt it wasn’t deserved. Why was I going to constantly hate and be upset when I could give that to God to take over and just allow me to sit in peace. I gave more grace than I have thought was possible and you know what, I have never been so happy. Having the grace like Jesus did allows us to see things differently and act as Christ does.

If your marriage has had some rough patches or you go through some type of situation like Hosea and Gomer (not as dramatic now a days), remember that grace is the best way to respond. Even if you don’t see it in the moment, God will show you after. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, you have came so far and there is so much more he wants to show you. Just have faith, grace, and love in all that you do.

Much love,
Charity