Grace

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:7-8

This is the word that God has put on my heart recently, a word that the more I study and ponder it becomes so powerful.  

Grace has so many meanings in the English dictionary:

grace

[greys]noun, verb, graced, grac·ing.

–noun

1.

elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2.

a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.

3.

favor or good will.

4.

a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was onlythrough the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.

5.

mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

6.

favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

7.

an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payablegranted to the debtor before suit can be brought against himor her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is duetoday, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses.Compare grace period.

8.

Theology .

a.

the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

b.

the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

c.

a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christiangraces.

d.

Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

9.

moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.

10.

a short prayer before or after a meal, in which a blessing isasked and thanks are given.

11.

( usually initial capital letter ) a formal title used inaddressing or mentioning a duke, duchess, or archbishop, andformerly also a sovereign (usually preceded by your, his, etc.).

12.

Graces, Classical Mythology . the goddesses of beauty,daughters of zeus and Eurynome, worshiped in Greece as theCharities and in Rome as the Gratiae.

13.

Music . grace note.

–verb (used with object)

14.

to lend or add grace to; adorn: Many fine paintings gracedthe rooms of the house.

15.

to favor or honor: to grace an occasion with one's presence.

I know that is a lot to read but I just couldn't believe all the meanings of this one word, the only meaning that matters to me are those I find in reading the Word.  Grace is an unconditional love and forgiveness no matter what, we have such a Gracious Father that with every misstep and mistake he is there to pick us up dust us off and put us back on the right path.

God put this word on my heart I think specifically because I can be very judgmental and I need to learn to bestow the grace I have been given on others.  For me this starts at home with my husband and kids who I am not always patient and understanding with, so my goal is every time I feel myself getting upset to repeat the word Grace in my head because I am not owed grace yet it was given so who am I not to give it to others.