My Word for 2015... "all about that grace"

It's taken me a lot longer to get around to writing with the holidays, the responsibilities that motherhood has brought about, and my fancy wireless key board needing new batteries that I didn't have, but writing continues to be a positive outlet for me so I enjoy making time for it when I can.

Over the years I've sort of done away with resolutions and instead focus on one word for the year. It's been 2015 for a few days, and I hadn't really considered what the best word might be for this time in my life. Last year I completely forgot about my word challenge after a few months. (Pregnancy is distracting I tell you!) A friend of mine posted her word challenge, and it encouraged me to start fresh with a new word for 2015. 

Grace. 

That is my word for 2015. Let me tell you a little bit about how that came about. 

The past couple of weeks I've been dwelling over a recent situation in which I was offended. I felt everything from anger, insecurity, jealousy, pain, sadness, and frustration. All the meanwhile I felt  guilty for feeling that way toward a couple of people whom I should be feeling love. 

I began to hear a gentle whisper from God every now and then when I found myself lost in my victimization, "See them through the eyes of my grace." 

Earlier this year I read that we should view our spouses through the eyes of God's grace and it really made an impact on how I've treated Blake. I felt so thankful when I was reminded of this and realized that my husband is not the only person I should be looking at with more grace! 

I'm not completely over the situation that caused me much grief, but once I began to look at the situation with a little more grace, I've found a better sense of reality about it. I've realized it wasn't as big of a deal as I made it out to be in my mind, and I'm accepting possible reasons for why it may have happened, and I'm starting to find forgiveness in my heart. 

Philippians 1:3-7 says this:

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." 

The people who offended me share in God's grace with me. Just as I mess up, and have even offended others, I'm forgiven and covered through God's grace. So are they! God's grace is extended to all of his believers and I need to view others through that grace. 

There is another verse that is a gentle encouragement on this topic:

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians: 4: 5-6

Here we are told that it is wise to show grace. I think it's interesting that with grace we will know how to answer everyone. I might be stretching this a little bit but, won't we all answer to God one day? I don't want to have any anger or resentment harbored when I answer to Him! 

Grace. It's a beautiful thing. Grace toward myself, toward my husband and daughter, toward my family and friends, strangers, my church family... grace. Wouldn't the world be a happier place if everyone looked at each other through eyes of grace- seeing past the hurt or judgement to understand where the other is coming from. Grace leads to forgiveness after all. 

So... 2015... is "all about that grace".