B E H I N D / T H E / B A R

I woke up early this morning. Like…4 am on a Saturday morning early. I had a friend come to my mind along with a whole list of recent frustrations:

• Self absorbed; “I” “Me” “My” “I feel.”
• Rude
• Doesn’t hesitate to ask for a favor but not willing to return one.
• Blah, blah, blah

I lay there thinking just exactly what i would say if I told them just how I felt about them and man, it would have been dead on. Leaving a little sting, something for them to remember.

Then, in the quietness of my darkened room I heard a small whisper.

“You don’t even know…”

“….What’s going on in their life, what they are feeling, what hurt they may be suppressing, Shannon you don’t even know!”

Convicted, I began to wonder “what if I just eased up?” What if I let it go, and replaced my white knuckle grip on offense with an open hand of grace extended toward them?

Then I thought about all the times this week I’ve needed someone to do that for me. I thought about the people that are holding onto an offense with me and how I wish so desperately they would let go and extend me some grace.

That would feel so…..life giving.

So I did. I loosened my grip. As I lay there in my bed, I drifted back off to sleep with a silent prayer for my friend.

God – cover them with an extra measure of grace today, and while your at it, I could use a little extra too!

So my words of wisdom to you today, get a better grip, not on your offenses. No. Get a grip on grace.