I’m thankful to my friend Shaunacey {Simply Shaunacey} for starting her series, Monday Moments of Gratitude. It is reminding me to stop and think about what is going in my life and heart. Am I grateful or am I living with a sense of entitlement? Sometimes I really don’t like the answer to that question but it’s so good for me to travel there because that is what can bring change in my life.
So grace and gratitude…how did they intersect in my life last week? Reality Alert: I’m about to get real!
Well, the biggest point of intersection would be through reading an article by Paul David Tripp entitle Speaking Redemptively. {here} I hate to admit but I have read this article more than once in the past while going through courses in Biblical Counseling. And although I know the truths of this article I have NOT been practicing them. My heart of reconciliation and restoration has cooled and been replaced by an attitude of entitlement. Yuck! But the grace of God allowed the words of the article to rekindle truth and gently nudge me back to the bedrock of what I believe in how I speak. I’m grateful for conviction without condemnation. {There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1}
I was also reminded that kindness leads to repentance. By grace the Lord was kind to show me my heart. {…God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. Romans 2:4} I’m grateful for his kindness.
And the grace of God just kept on going this week as His kindness kept being displayed:
- We had two minor {that could have major} problems at work regarding our facilities. A generator alert that went off and an A/C until that was frozen up. With vital equipment in my workplace it is imperative that equipment does not go down and take out other super vital equipment. The burden of reporting those issues and following through rests on me. Although I wasn’t exactly sure how to navigate through those problems, nothing disastrous melted down {including me} and I was complimented on how I handled each situation. That is total grace to me because inside I was sorta, kinda melting down. And then sweet kindness! No one had to extend a compliment to me. Another kindness…my aluminum free deodorant held up in the stressful situations. {Grateful!}
- The Lord was kind to me as I read through an Instagram feed and found myself getting jealous {nothing new here for me} and my desire was to go down the pity trail of self-absorption and list how I have been short-changed in life. BUT, instead I looked at the situation through the eyes of truth and realized how richly I am blessed. My life and blessings look differently but still I am gifted and can use those gifts to pursue the desires that are on my heart. Choosing to be grateful here instead of jealous was grace to me.
I am grateful for so much more but this week I have been blessed to see the sweetness of the Lord touch various parts of my life.
I hope you have a moment to share what you are grateful for in the comments. We need to rejoice together about our blessings.
Hope you have a most beautiful week!
