Christ's Grace

As I continue to find out more about asking for Christ's Grace, I realize that this grace isn't something you just pray for once and you have it all the time. I have to pray each time I'm in the midst of a situation, so that Christ can heal me of that need of proving my point, being heard, or having my ideas acknowledged. 

Most of the time, when I've stubbornly pushed ahead to prove my point, to be heard, or have my ideas acknowledged, it was counter-productive and was a hollow victory. I would much rather be healed of the need to prove these things and the willingness to be gracious instead. 

Contagious Grace

Although I didn't pray for Contagious Grace, Christ allowed me to see the benefits of it anyway. Since Christ showed me the benefits of saying brief prayers asking for grace when I'm in the midst of a situation, so that I might be more gracious, I've noticed a change. It seems like my husband is happier and much more light-hearted. 

So, I've tried to prayerfully contemplate this special blessing. I think that when I ask for Christ's grace during times of tension, I'm not responding in turn out of frustration and letting lots more things go. I think this has had a positive effect on my husband which is wonderful!!!
 

Interruption Grace

I was trying to have a conversation with someone recently. They kept interrupting me, because they figured they knew exactly what I was going to say long before I said it. Unfortunately, I didn't ask for Interruption Grace when I should have. If I had, I wouldn't have argued with the person explaining that they didn't know what I was saying. I would have let it go long before the fourth and fifth times of trying to tell them what I really was trying to say.

In trying to be more gracious, it's not about proving who is right, it's about letting go of situations, even if I am in the right, and try to become a better example of Christ's positive effect on my life. As it turned out, I'm not sure the other person ever heard me clarify what I was trying to say. It wasn't worth the tension that existed in the conversation and it made me a poor example of my faith.

Backsliding Grace

I spent some time realizing that I've gotten frustrated quite a few times this weekend. Of course, my sinful human nature tells me that I was justified in being frustrated, but that's not what being gracious is about.

In my intro to this blog, I said that the grandmother asked her grand-daughter if she was gracious to the teacher, even thought the teacher had wrongly marked the child's paper. So, even if I was justified in human terms for being frustrated, I'm not being gracious when I hold on to that frustration.

After Christ had me realize this today, I prayed for Backsliding Grace. I needed Christ's grace in helping heal my frustrations, so that I could be open to being gracious and overlook the things that frustrated me in the first place. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to get to the point where I was willing to turn this over, but once I genuinely did, Christ allowed me the grace to be gracious!

Candy Grace

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 

 We were given a bunch of chocolate candy. Neither my husband nor I eat it. He had one idea of what to do with it, but I had another. I begged him not to give it away, because I wanted to use it on thank you notes to the staff in the Veteran's Home where my dad resides. 

It was the next day that I found him putting the candy into little boxes to give away to people. I found myself getting very agitated, because it felt as if he had disregarded my request to give it to the Veteran's Home Staff. I was about to say some angry things and said more than I am proud of, when I asked God for "Candy Grace." I was wanting Christ to give me grace in this situation with the candy, so that I would be more gracious toward him and didn't say angry things to my husband.

Shortly after that, I felt much calmer and talked with my husband about it. He had forgotten the conversation we had earlier about the candy. Additionally, I realized there was probably enough candy for him to give to the people he wanted and I would still have enough to do what I wanted. When I get frustrated, I don't always think as clearly through these things as I would hope. Fortunately for me, Christ allowed for me to be more gracious than my original words and to have better insight on this matter. I am truly blessed for a Lord that looks after me even when I want to blurt things out!!! 
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Example of a Brief Prayer

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15:11

I was with someone who was scooping up some free popcorn. They didn't ask me if I wanted any. The person told me that I should get a bag of popcorn and then took it from my hands. They wanted me to get the popcorn for them to eat later.

It's such a silly thing, but it really did irritate me. Didn't that person think about whether I wanted some or not? Couldn't they have asked me if I wanted some before they took it from my hands? I found myself getting frustrated at that person. Then, it popped into my mind that that's not what Christ wants of me. He wants me to be gracious to those who irritate me, but I was too frustrated to be gracious at that moment.

What I prayed was, "Popcorn Grace," and immediately Christ calmed me down, so that I didn't respond to the person in a less than positive manner. Although the "Popcorn Grace" prayer was very brief, I was asking Christ to please give me grace with this popcorn situation, so I would respond in a gracious manner, and He did! It amazed me that He knew and understood my brief prayer and granted me that grace, so I could be more gracious as an example of how He works in my life! I have continued to use these brief prayers which are changing my life and my response to others. If Christ can do this for me, He can most certainly do it for you, as well. Try it...what can it hurt?