Because - A Five Minute Friday Post

It's been a while hasn't it?
I've not met you here since the beginning of August and honestly, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find my voice again.
But I'm back and I'm staying and it has made my heart infinitely happy today to write again.

Today I used the word prompt from the Five Minute Friday Blog.
It was perfect for what was tumbling around in my heart and my head this morning.

I was chatting with a friend today about extending grace. 

Giving grace to someone when we don’t want to. 

And not just the ordinary don’t want to, but the digging in our heels, gritting our teeth, fighting with everything in us to not have to be the grace-giver. 

It’s hard isn’t it? 
So very hard to be graceful to someone who has hurt you deeply. 
Someone who continues to hurt you deeply even when they’ve beaten you up and left your heart in a broken, bloody mess on the ground. 

We may never know what drives someone to lash out in anger. 

To deliberately cause pain to another, especially those they claim to love. 
To enjoy the power and control that their words and actions have over our hurting hearts. 

But as much as it hurts us, as much as it grieves our soul, Jesus says we are to extend grace. 

To forgive and continue forgiving. 

Why? 
Why Lord would you want me to show grace to someone who has hurt me so deeply? 

Because, He says, you know what grace extended can do to change a life. 

It changed yours. 

With a Courageous Heart,
~~Robin