A Race To Grace

In my very first post on this blog I asked the question: "Is grace worth dying for?" I don't remember what drove me to that question back then, but I am thrown back to it. What happens when someone hurts those you love the most in life? What happens when someone's personal decisions hurt you? What do you do with that person? Is grace at the intersection at which this person stands in your life? Should it hurt this much to show someone the grace that was shown to me on Calvary? I have people in my life that have made some decisions that have caused those close to me LOTS of pain, which has caused me to have pain. I have talked to many people about this situation, and have gotten some great answers. I think the most profound statement I heard was from my friend Cat. She said, "Everyone craves truth." She was talking about approaching people with love and grace, but most importantly with the truth. I think she is right. People want honesty, even if it hurts. We are taught, by Jesus, to extend grace to others just as it was extended to us. Paul taught us that to live this redeemed life is to daily die to our selfish nature. I think these two things go hand in hand. And, I think these two lessons hurt the most. Paul echoed this by says that "to die is gain".

Should it hurt me this much to give someone a fraction of the grace that was given to me? No. Should I make someone earn my grace and forgiveness when these where freely given to me? No. So why does it hurt, and why do I require things from others? I think I make this life harder than it needs to be. But, I am comforted to know that I am not the first to try and complicate the simplicity of this redeemed life I am leading. Jesus had to get the disciples back in line on more than one occasion. Paul wasn't shy about the fact his wrong actions often out weighted the redemption he was given.

I am not sure if grace comes before forgiveness or vice versa, and I am not sure if you need one to complete the other. But, I know that they are both an important part of my life. And they often enter my life at the same time. And I know I need God's grace to help me forgive those who hurt me. I know I am not perfect, but as Gerald G. May put it: " We cannot use failure as an excuse to guit trying." So what am I trying to say with all these words? I guess it all boils down to this: I am hurt, and I forgive the people that hurt me... But it still takes me longer than it should.