My Uncle Bud said something to me as I embarked on my caregiver journey with my Mom, that he repeated over and over again throughout each twist and turn of the road:

“Baby girl, you are made of Grit and Grace.
You’re going to be okay.
You’re going to get through this, stronger than before!
This will build a strength in you that prepares you for the next hard thing.”

I don’t know about you, but when life is good, those words sound pretty amazing; encouraging and uplifting, even quite possibly true! But when you’re in the trenches and your heart is aching to the core, it’s really hard to see the big picture, to focus on it and to embrace the Grace and strength that will come from the Grit you’re facing.

When I hear the word “Grit” there are two scenarios that come to mind. The first being, sandpaper; gritty and always used to smooth out the rough edges of it’s subject. This reminds me of the scripture in Proverbs 27: 17 NIV:

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

This verse so beautifully depicts the sandpaper affect others have on us, and we have on others God places in our lives. Whether it be a personality that rubs us the wrong way, testing our patience, or scraping at a scab we thought was healing, but clearly needs revisiting for proper healing. God uses people to smooth out our rough edges, in order to make us more like Him.

The second scenario is that of the sand or parasite that gets into an oyster and creates a pearl. This reminds me of how it feels after being at the beach and getting sand in your shoes… it’s annoying and uncomfortably irritating to the feet who are begging to have it removed in order to find comfort again. However, unlike shoes, the oyster can’t simply remove the sand and find comfort!  Instead, the oyster must endure the irritation, yet in it’s struggle, emits what is called “nacre” to protect itself, and in doing so, after time, produces a beautiful, one-of-a-kind pearl!

The word “Grace” by definition means, “simple elegance or refinement of movement.”

As a Believer, I always focused on grace as being “the unmerited favor of God.” I never stopped to think about the basic human definition of the word as being simple elegance. This word now takes on a new meaning for me as I embrace it with new eyes, seeing the beauty behind its meaning. Grace doesn’t require sunshine and rainbows, or trial-less days; grace simply requires a humble heart, a head held high-looking up to the Father for strength, and a poise of confidence that comes from knowing you’re held close to the Father’s heart, therefore can do all things through Him. {Philippians 4:13 NIV}

Isn’t it amazing how God is able to make something stunningly beautiful from something so irritating and painful? Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV says:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

You too, my friend, are made of Grit and Grace! Praying you’ll allow God to refine that pearl He’s making inside of you, as you work through whatever irritants are currently in your life and that through it all, you’ll walk in the Grace and gratitude that our Father is holding you close and won’t let you go.

#gritandgrace #trulyblessed #trulygrateful