What a Friend we Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus! He shows us grace upon grace upon grace! What a beautiful thing this is.

Last year I was praying and thinking about leaving the job I had been at for more than 16 years, mostly for my health.  I had always been happy there and loved what I did. Word got out that I was contemplating leaving.
I was then called into a meeting where my character was attacked. I told so many terrible things about what this person thought of me. 

We will not always be everyone's "cup of tea" this conversation hurt! I was confused by what I heard. I have always taken pride in who I am as a person, employee and friend.
I thought I to myself,  I have known this person for five years and in that time they have not taken the time to really get to know me. That made me sad. I wondered if maybe they had met me in a time of weakness and made up their mind about who I was in that single particular moment.  People will do that, friends. People will judge us by what they think we are and never really SEE us.

I later found out this person was going through some hard circumstances and was having to make really hard decisions. While her circumstances were not my fault I was the one she took it out on. She was having a weak moment. I chose to forgive her and not judge her entire character because of this one particular moment. God wanted me to show her grace. While that was a hard thing to do in my flesh with God's help I showed her grace.

Friends I am so thankful that God does not identify me by my past or one single particular moment of my life where I was weak and not my best self.  He shows us grace upon grace! Jesus calls us to sit at his table and drink the water of life. (John 3:35) Jesus makes us His own by His extravagant grace. We need only to look at the cross to see His grace for us on display. Friends we also have the opportunity to show grace to those around us. While that can be hard sometimes we are called to do so.

His grace is sufficient for me!