Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace
For from his fullness, we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 ESV
Growing up in Denver, I loved fresh-fallen snow. The sun was so close that it glistened off the powder like diamonds. My three brothers and I would sit at the big living room window and watch it float down in huge white flakes until it covered everything. Winter wonderlands are real, and even though I live in Texas now, when fresh snow falls, I wonder, will it be just enough to cover the ugliness of this world?
Forgiveness is like fresh-fallen snow covering your soul. It is grace, upon grace, soothing the pain and covering the shame. That is exactly what Jesus did with His blood; He covered our sin and shame. If He did that for us, why is it so hard for us to do that for others?
It is an emotional process to let go of anger, resentment, or injustice. We see it as a relinquishing of consequence, an identity crisis, or a weakness, to let go of something that has not been resolved, or a lack of acceptance of responsibility for their actions towards you.
What if letting go is what opens the door for God to work in your life?
What if forgiving even the hardest things possible heals you?
Do you see yourself as better than the one who harmed you?
Showing mercy and leniency to someone for something we perceive as small is easy. Growing up with three brothers made me a tough girl. At different times, they hit me, pulled my hair, and one shot me with a BB gun, possibly even intentionally. I did not hold onto those grudges long. I forgave them. No sweat, right?
At fifty-six years old, I have had to learn to seek Christ through some heinous actions against me. I have also had to face my own actions and seek forgiveness for them. Both are difficult. Both are overwhelmingly refreshing, covering the darkness with light.
I have four different abusers in my life. My father, my ex-husband, and two boyfriends. This arena was a far cry from brothers being brothers or someone calling me names or lying to me. Although sometimes those things can be hard also. However, how do you forgive this type of assault on your soul? The ones that change your life forever, make you cower and run, leave deep scars on your heart or your person; is there anything that is unforgivable?
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I John 2:2 ESV
The whole world. Grace upon grace, upon grace.
Do you remember the first time you saw snow falling and covering the earth? The first time my daughters saw snow blanketing everything was an early morning before school. I allowed them to run out and build a snowman before I had to get them to class. They had never seen anything like it. By the time we arrived home, the snowman was gone. In fact, all the snow was gone, and it was a muddy mess. They were disappointed and mad. We live in Texas and have never had another snow like we did that year. Life is disappointing, but instead of groveling in what was lost, we just changed course and started heading to the mountains to see snow when possible.
When we hold grudges, refuse to let go, we build up bitterness, resentment, disappointment, anger, and a desire for retribution. It muddies our spirit and exposes our sin.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. Hebrews 12:15 ESV
Forgiving someone helps you dig the sour out, break the chains that bind, release the hostility to keep you from wading in the mud. I believe sometimes we hold onto things because we have not discovered the truth about who God says we are and who He has called us to be. We are sinners saved by grace upon grace, and we are only white like snow because Christ bled and died for us.
Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 ESV
The one that hurt you, well, that is up to God. That is the hard part of living. We love to weigh in on it, though, and that is what exposes the dirt in our own snow angel. Have you ever made one of those? If you dig deep enough, you will uncover the shame beneath.
Freedom comes in turning over the problem and vengeance to God. My abusers have had different consequences for their actions, none of which I had any real control over. However, forgiving each one of them has allowed God to shower me with grace upon grace upon grace. The consequence of our sin is the same as the abuser’s sin, the liar, the cheater, the bully, and that is a hard pill to swallow.
Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death, Jesus Christ my Lord. Romans 7:24-25 ESV
Friends, light covers darkness, just like snow covers the earth, and Christ covers sin and shame. That is grace, upon grace, upon grace. Give yourself grace and turn it all over to God. You will refresh your spirit and heal your soul, and you will walk out of the sludge to see the glorious beauty of God’s purpose now visible in front of you.
Susanne Moore empowers women to break free, find healing and embrace Jesus. She is a contributing author to five compilation books. She is part of the Well Women Alliance and loves speaking at women's events. Her home is in Mansfield, Texas. She is currently writing her memoir through Hope*Books Publishing. You can find her at susanne-moore.com.
Follow Susanne at:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-moore-759a951a
https://www.facebook.com/share/15UuPckCQa/?mibextid=qi2Omg
https://www.instagram.com/symphoniesofgrace?igsh=aWM5ZXR2ZmM3czgz
@susannemoore5644
