Let us have grace. Grace for each other’s weaknesses. Grace for suffering and sin and even for the “walking-dead” among us.

I have been thinking about some of these things over the past several months, and now even more with COVID-19... But, the topic came to mind after recently having suffered through 2 early-term (under 6 weeks) miscarriages, both right before hosting missionary teams | my sister’s recent near death and continued struggle to fully recover | and then recently seeing school reports from my little brother who was diagnosed with a meduloblastoma (brain tumour), after struggling in school and needing to be homeschooled (over 20 years ago!) | also thinking of past and present struggles in my own life, family (and extended family), and friends (including experience with PTSD and special needs).

1 Corinthians 10:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“

Let us have grace for: 

The parent at the grocery store, with children misbehaving - they may not be their biological children (foster/adoption/respite/step), and they may be suffering with a (visible or invisible) disability (fetal alcohol syndrome/developmental delay/PTSD/malnourishment).

The young boy in your classroom who is acting rebellious and not handing in homework, changing his neat writing into scribbles - he is angry and stressed about things at home and about his failures, wondering why he can no longer ride his bike, rollerblade, print his name... his parents are getting divorced, and “worse” than that, he has an undiagnosed brain tumour.

The woman you interact with at the store, in passing, at the bank, at church, in a business meeting, hosting you for a meal in her own home, anywhere, who seems unfriendly, irritable, grumpy, or even unintelligent - she is struggling because she ___________ (has an autoimmune disease, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, brain fog, has a newborn and hasn’t slept as her body recovers from labour and delivery, has her period and is in pain, just had a miscarriage, is being abused (physically, emotionally, or spiritually), was recently raped, is going through menopause, is recovering from a near-death experience (car accident, malaria, TIA, stroke) - and “has to” keep going like nothing happened or is happening.

The man that you interact with that seems distant, irritable, distracted, unfriendly - he is ______ (struggling in his marriage or other relationships, he is burdened with the burdens of his family, he is caring for a sick wife or struggling child, he has trials in his business or ministry, he has no income, he is in physical pain, he is fighting a sin or a sickness), but “has to” keep going and not let go of his responsibilities.

The drivers who rage and cut you off - they have a cortisol imbalance and are in a constant “fight or flight” mode from a trauma (at least/especially in El Salvador!), they are on their way to the hospital or the morgue, they just lost their job, they will lose their job if they arrive late.

The people being served by ministries and relief efforts who fight to be first and get the most - they are living in fear and in poverty and literally think they will not survive if they don't fight to receive (and probably suffering from PTSD).

Those who bought out all of the TP and hand sanitizers - they are living in fear, and may have PTSD or a disability (like brain injury) and might not be able to think more than 15 seconds into the future.

Sometimes we need to have grace for people. We are all going through something. 

Aside from the trials and temptations and struggles of our lives, we are living in a fallen world, dealing with our own sin, being sinned against, and living with the affects of sin and the curse.

Let us love. Love through showing compassion and understanding, and love through speaking encouragement and Truth (and truth in love). Let us share hope.

There is hope in the Gospel. Hope in the Saviour who was acquainted with grief, who was fully God and humbled Himself to take on our flesh. Who, in His love and perfect, divine sinlessness, freely took the wrath of God upon Himself on the cross, bearing our sin, shame, and curse, and now offers us His righteousness. 

Let us humble ourselves to repentance, to obedience, to His Lordship, and to allowing Him to sanctify us through His Word and through the trials that He brings us through. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and remember that this is not our home - if we belong to Him and He is our Lord, then we are citizens of Heaven and have an eternal hope of no more pain, no more sickness, no more tears, and no more sin. And everything will be perfect, and will be so much better because of what we have suffered here... 

He is working all things together for His own glory and for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. 

Let us not become weary in doing good - even to our fellow sojourners and those we meet along the way. They are either born-again sinners saved by grace who also need our grace as they are being sanctified and as they fight the inner-battle between their sinful flesh and their redeemed spirit,  or their behaviour is human nature, and they are actually “dead in their trespasses”, naturally living in sin, and don’t know any different - they need us to speak/preach/teach and live the Gospel. 

Either way, We all need grace.

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 If you read this and are unsure of what you believe or where you stand, if you want eternal life - Jesus said, “you must be born again”. Find a Bible and read it - start in John and Romans to understand who Jesus is and what the Gospel is - send me a note if you need to be referred to a Bible believing and Bible-teaching Church or if you have any questions or prayer requests.