Grateful and Gracious

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 NIV

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NIV

How often are we truly grateful for what we do have instead of focusing on what we don’t have? I smashed my big toe on my left foot a few years ago and aside from being shocked at how painful this spider web fracture was, I was also surprised by how injuring one toe could limit my ability to walk and function normally. I had to wear a boot for what seemed like forever and would look at others who could just walk around without a thought about each step with such envy! I would think, “they don’t know how good they have it!” And then realized that I didn’t know how good I had it before breaking my toe. Being able to walk without a thought, climb stairs, talk, see, taste, smell, drive a car, peel a potato, play the piano, climb a ladder, paint a picture, hammer a nail…all things that I should be grateful for everyday. 

But what about being grateful in all circumstances…when you’re told you have cancer, or when a loved one betrays your trust, or when financial burdens weigh you down…that’s a bit more challenging, but a lot more important. That’s when our faith can grow and flourish. To remember that God is always good even when things are not. To never forget that God is faithful even when fear grips our hearts. We can be thankful that, “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28 NIV)

To live with a grateful heart also means knowing God’s grace. That we didn’t deserve forgiveness and a forever in paradise, but God extended his mercy and love to us while we were still sinners. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV) So, what do we need to do in response to God showing us his grace, mercy and love? We should be grateful and give thanks in all circumstances, but then must also demonstrate grace by extending mercy and love to others that was so selflessly given to us by Jesus. 

We look to God to provide grace when we need forgiveness, help, and guidance. And we need to look to Jesus to provide us with the ultimate example of grace. Did Jesus shy away from helping the outcasts of society? No, he helped the lepers, befriended the tax collector, and purposely reached out to the woman at the well with a not so great reputation. And even when one of his closest disciples, Peter, denied him three times, Jesus shows grace. In John 21:15-17, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him three times and when Peter answers yes, then Jesus tells him another three times to take care of or feed his sheep. We all make mistakes, but at the end of the day, we are to be thankful that we can go to God for mercy. If we are grateful for the grace and love shown to us, our mission must be to then show this grace to others. To set aside judgment, to forgive freely, love and help each other is our aim, knowing that Jesus did just that while on earth. Giving thanks to God in every kind of circumstance we encounter and giving grace to others is what we are called to do. And with God’s amazing grace, we can faithfully step out, even with a broken toe, and follow that calling.