But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast in my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
A smile spread across my face when her email showed up in my in-box… then I opened it.
By the time I reached the second line, a rock sat heavy in my stomach and butterflies multiplied in my chest. I had done something wrong, said things I shouldn’t have.
With trembling fingers, I dialed her number and listened as it connected. Ring after ring robbed my mouth of moisture, leaving my tongue thick behind my teeth. When she didn’t answer, I left a bumbling voicemail asking her to call me back.
I waited, and instead of praying or finding another task to occupy my thoughts, I allowed a flurry of justifications and arguments to race through my mind.
What I said wasn’t that bad.
I was only answering someone’s question, so it’s not like I was gossiping.
She’s overreacting.
My heart flipped from regret and remorse over my actions to blame and outrage that she would accuse me of doing something wrong. And I had every intention of explaining this to her when I answered her return call… then I heard her voice.
It wasn’t my intention, but I had hurt her deeply. My words, spoken to a mutual friend and repeated in front of a group of women, hit the nerve of a sensitive subject. She felt inadequate and humiliated because I spoke when I should have held my tongue.
But here’s the thing… she didn’t berate or blame me. She shared her heart with kindness, love, and peace, breaking down my defenses. Convicted and sorrowful, a plea for forgiveness flowed from my heart.
I didn’t deserve it, but she accepted my apology and forgave me.
She made a choice to extend GRACE.
God often speaks through His word in pictures, which is great for this visual girl, and I “stumbled” upon a picture of what it’s like to experience grace:
Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Psalm 124:7 (NASB)
Sin is a snare; it traps our soul. But when God’s grace breaks the snare, our soul, like a freed bird, rises to great heights.
To experience grace is to experience freedom when you are guilty and should remain in the snare.
Can you recall a time in your life when someone extended you grace and how that made you feel? Is there someone you need to extend grace to today?