Embracing God’s Amazing Grace

A Journey of Humility and Grace During the Covid Era

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it unprecedented challenges, forcing us to confront our vulnerability and need for grace. During this tumultuous period, I found myself humbled and transformed by the amazing grace of God. I want to share my personal journey of rediscovering the power of God’s grace and how it taught me to be more gracious in my own life.

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The Struggle and Uncertainty

When the pandemic first struck, the world was plunged into a state of chaos and uncertainty. Fear and anxiety gripped hearts as we witnessed the relentless spread of the virus. Lockdowns and social distancing measures disrupted our routines, isolated us from loved ones, and, for many, led to financial hardships.

Folks like me who often struggle with pride in one form or another, found this to be a very tough time. What I mean, is that I could see through some of the lies being sold by the government and media outlets and saw all of the fearmongering taking place. Knowing what I knew, I felt somewhat furious that our freedoms and rights were being tread upon in the name of fear. I started to discount my fellow man’s concerns and dismiss their needs or weaknesses. I was prideful and thought that I knew better and that led me to become more bitter and uncaring for individuals around me. In the end, I was really just as uncertain about where we were going as a nation and humanity as the next person and I think my own fear of sorts was what was ultimately driving all of that.

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In the midst of this uncertainty, God drew me back and increased my faith. The words of 2 Corinthians 12:9 rang in my mind: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” This verse reminded me that even in the face of overwhelming challenges, God’s grace could sustain me. Another scripture that became forefront was Romans 14:13-23.

¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. ¹⁴ I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. ¹⁵ If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil……..

This reminded me that even if I was right about something, that it didn’t matter in that respect and that I needed to extend the same grace that God extends to me and to choose to truly love folks and let that be what is important.

Humbling Moments

During the COVID era, I experienced humbling moments that served as reminders of my own vulnerability and dependence on God’s grace. The suffering and loss experienced by countless people around the world left an indelible mark on my heart. Thankfully no one that I personally knew or was close to became very ill or died as a result of the virus, but there were those friends of friends that were affected in such ways. I also witnessed friends and family turning against each other because of the ordeal and no longer speaking to one another because of the ideology differences this pandemic brought to the surface. It made me realize that I was not immune to the trials of life, and I needed to extend grace to others, just as I sought it from God.

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Learning to Be Gracious

As I reflected on the concept of grace, I realized that being gracious went hand in hand with receiving God’s grace. To become a more gracious person, I took the following steps:

1. Self-reflection: I took time to reflect on my own actions, attitudes, and responses to the challenges of the pandemic. I recognized that I often fell short of being as gracious as I should be.
2. Practicing empathy: I made a conscious effort to understand the struggles and pain of others. Empathy allowed me to see beyond my own circumstances and respond with compassion.
3. Forgiveness: In a time of crisis, tensions ran high, and conflicts arose. I learned to forgive and release the burdens of resentment, allowing grace to take its place.
4. Acts of kindness: I began to actively seek ways to help those in need, whether through helping with certain chores that needed to be done or picking up groceries and delivering them or supporting local businesses or just simply praying for people more. These acts of kindness allowed me to be a channel of God’s grace to others and helped to draw me closer to God and and focus on Him instead of my pride.
5. Letting go of judgment: Instead of passing judgment on those who made different choices or held differing opinions, I learned to be understanding and empathetic, recognizing that we all faced unique challenges during the pandemic.

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Conclusion

The COVID era taught me valuable lessons about grace and humility. Through my own journey, I realized that God’s amazing grace not only sustains us in our weakness but also calls us to be gracious towards others. As we continue to emerge from this challenging time, let us hold onto the lessons learned, allowing God to shape our lives and inspire us to be more gracious, compassionate, and understanding towards one another. May His grace continue to transform us and bring healing to a world in need of hope and love.