Untitled

I left today's post untitled because I am finding that there is no way to sum up what I'm going to dump in this post. Part of me finds that a little unsettling. Shouldn't everything in life be able to be summed up in some way or another. Maybe by the time I have worked myself to the bottom of this post, I will be able to come up with a title...but right now...it is untitled.

I've always considered myself a pessimist. Rarely do I see the bright side of anything. I think that is why I have been so blown away mentally by our schedule this soccer season. What good can come of it? (There's good in it...and if I remember, I will write about that on my next Thankful Thursday post!) So, maybe that is why I am so blown away about my thoughts right now. I am actually thinking about something optimistically. The funny thing is, I feel like I am optimistic....all by myself....and it is kind of scary.

Isn't it interesting that God chose imperfect vessels such as Man to be the carrier of His Perfect Grace? Even though we are imperfect, God still calls us to do our best to be good representatives of His Perfect Grace. Being humans, we fail....but I would assume as followers of Christ we are seeking to do our best. We fail...but we're trying. Right? Even so, we are imperfect people with imperfect ways, extending imperfect grace as we represent a perfect God who has perfect ways and extends perfect Grace.

I know that there are no perfect churches in the world. They are full of imperfect people. But shouldn't the church be a place where we are learning to be like Christ? Shouldn't we be called to extend grace and forgiveness to one another....as well as to the world? It seems like we all want to be acknowledged as imperfect people who make mistakes...and yet we are so quick to expect perfection out of others. Particularly our leaders. We want grace...and yet we don't extend grace. I am always a little shocked at people who seemingly aren't able, or willing, to extend grace within the church.

That is where I find myself shocked at my optimism. I'm always disappointed at people who choose to walk away, tear down, and/or give up rather than extend grace. I guess that all goes back to being imperfect people.

I don't know where I am going with those thoughts. They kept me up last night later than I wanted them to. Maybe in getting them out, I will find peace with them....and maybe learn how to extend grace, amidst my hurt.

I guess as I type that out, I answer my own frustrations. I suppose when we hurt, extending grace can be hard. If I take time to remember past lessons, I also remember that I must extend grace every time I feel the pain again.

I wish that we could all remember that. I wish we could all be students of grace. To all people. In all things.

I don't know how to finish this post. It is totally imperfect. I am sure if someone were to theologically come along and dissect it....they could find problems with it and take me to task. That's okay. I'm mostly just rambling.

Forgive me.