Day 1

Gracious Living

A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches. Proverbs 11:16

I was in my head a lot about how best to begin because this is Day 1 after all. I really want you to like what I write but I am reminded that this is not about me at all. It is about what God desires to say to His daughters so I say a prayer for you as you read each day that you only hear the heart of God for you . 

Let me start by telling you of a time I lent money to a trustworthy individual who could not pay me back. I would like to say that I was gracious to the end but that would be a lie because this individual ‘posted’ me every single time and that is one I really dislike. I was so angry that I resorted to making threats and set out for war but thankfully, God had other plans. You see God has promised me a life of peace and I have learned that if I truly believe what God has said, I must act like it even when it doesn't feel that way. I ended up forfeiting the loan because I realized that if I started the war, I wouldn't stop until I got my pound of flesh. The money was not worth my peace nor my honor and after looking inward, I realized I did not do my due diligence so I had a part to blame. 

If you realized that you had to be gracious in all situations, would it make you more careful about the places you went, the people you hired or the things you argued about? I am learning not to put myself in situations that require me to take off my garment of grace and kindness. 

If you do find yourself in such a situation, perhaps due to no fault of your own, i hope you will take a deep breath with me and confess the below a few times:

I am gracious and kind 

I extend kindness to those around me even when they act undeserving 

I am kind like my Heavenly Father is kind 

No one can make me act in a dishonorable way because I retain honor 

Though the world may try to make me ruthless, 

I know that true strength lies within me by the help of the Holy Spirit 

We have honor because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through His sacrifice on the cross for you and me. We retain it by being gracious to others just like our Heavenly Father is to us.  

Definitions

Honor. good name or public esteem or a showing of usually merited respect.

Retain continue to have (something); keep possession of; to hold secure or intact

Gracious: marked by kindness and courtesy, characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, often shown to someone that doesn’t deserve it