Grace For Our Failures

Grace for Our Failures

You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

It was Sunday night, and I felt completely overwhelmed by the prospect of Monday’s arrival. The day had been fraught with troubles—squabbling children, a toddler who stripped naked and made a mess in her crib during nap time, and a husband who was out of town on business. By the time evening rolled around and I took a look at the next day’s events, I wanted to cry from exhaustion.

I had a forty-five-minute drive one direction for a morning meeting, followed by an hour’s drive in the opposite direction to pick up a delivery. Then I needed to go grocery shopping, race home for a late lunch, lay the baby down for a nap, and wake her up early to take the girls to swimming lessons. After a brief break for dinner, we’d head to gymnastics for almost two hours of mind-numbing practice, then race home to complete the never-ending bedtime circus routine.

Realizing that I had signed up to bring a meal to a new mom, I tried to factor it into my day. Maybe I could get up really early and do it before the girls wake up, I thought. Or perhaps I could skip nap time and bring it then?

Dissatisfied with the prospect of making a busy day even worse, I made the decision to message my friend and humbly ask if I could bring the meal the following day instead. “Of course,” she said instantly, not seeming to mind at all.

Sometimes in friendship, we worry about disappointing others. We want them to think our life is smooth sailing, when in reality we’re captaining a rickety boat that’s leaking and listing to one side. Fostering true friendship means not just showing compassion to others—as Scripture calls us to—but being willing to accept compassion when we are in need of it too. The truth is, when we’re honest with our challenges, most people will appreciate our willingness to be vulnerable and gladly overlook our perceived inadequacies. If they are willing to echo the grace we’ve received from Jesus, we need to be willing to receive it rather than condemn ourselves.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Think of an area of friendship where you feel like you’re failing, and ask a friend to pray with you about it. And if someone is struggling with meeting their obligations toward you, show them grace.