Grace Over Griping - The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional

Grace over Griping

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

Romans 15:5

I am a fixer. A problem solver. And I can get hung up on what could be, what should be, instead of being thankful for what simply is. When faced with the fragility and the shortcomings of those whose lives intersect my own, it is sometimes tempting to focus on their weakness instead of on the many gifts and talents they bring into my life.

As I fretted about a friendship this past week and about what I wished the relationship could be instead of what it was currently, God gently reminded me of my friend’s wonderful qualities, her incredible strengths, and of all her good characteristics that far outweigh this one weakness. I realized that I needed to extend grace.

Grace chooses to cover another person’s weakness instead of laying bare that person’s vulnerabilities for all the world to see. Grace recognizes those things that may never be changed—and then it intentionally sets aside the frustrations in order to enjoy and celebrate those whose lives are interwoven with our own. Grace is a gift that has been freely given to each of us and is one of the most beautiful gifts that we can bestow upon one another.

Sometimes, living in complete harmony with one another means that God is calling us to extend grace regarding another’s weaknesses and to focus on the strengths a person brings into our lives. God is the fixer, not us—and some things are best left completely to God.

As I thought about my friend, I quietly chose grace over griping, over trying to fix that which may never change. With that decision made, I have since discovered that my relationship with this particular friend has improved and harmony has been restored because I’ve stopped trying to fix something that is not my responsibility to fix.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Who in your life needs grace instead of fixing? Take one small step to restore harmony in that relationship by extending grace.