"The journey of life is meant to be traveled with open hearts and outstretched hands as we walk in love extending grace." - Valerie Champion Greetings to you all! Prayerfully, this won't be a long blog. I have been struggling with how much to write concerning love and grace. We all know this can be a lengthy conversation, right? First, I believe we need to understand the close relationship of the two. Walking in love and extending grace to others is a powerful practice that can change the world we live in. Grace is God's gift of unearned and unmerited favor. Extending grace to those we encounter means showing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, even when we know they don't deserve it. Love is giving of one's self unconditionally and without restraints. Just like God did for us when He gave His only Son for the sins of the world. Now, that's another topic for another day.
Walking in love means treating others with respect, empathy, and understanding, even when they don't agree with us or act in ways we would like. "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." - Psalm 145:8 One of the keys to extending grace is recognizing that we are all imperfect beings and in need of grace ourselves. When we recognize and acknowledge our own weaknesses and mistakes, it becomes easier to extend grace to others who are struggling or have hurt us. We can choose to be slow to anger when someone hurts or offends us. We can also choose to see others through the eyes of love, recognizing their worth and treating them with dignity and kindness, even if we may not always agree with their actions or opinions. Another important aspect of walking in love and extending grace is the practice of forgiveness. Forgiveness means letting go of resentment and bitterness towards those who have wronged us, and choosing to release them from the debt they owe us. A difficult and painful process, yet it is essential for our own healing and restoration of our peace. "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness," - Exodus 34:6 ESV Ultimately, walking in love and extending grace is about creating a world of kindness, compassion, and understanding. It is about choosing to see the best in others, even when they let us down or disappoint us. And intentionally, treating them with the same love and grace that we ourselves have received from God. By doing so, we can create a more peaceful, just, and loving world for all. Blessings to each of you! #Love #Grace #GodsGrace #Favor #Compassion #Kindness #BuildaBetterWorld