Our cell group is looking at 'Grace' as we follow the DVD series "What's so amazing about grace".

Here's a few of my self-reflections on grace -
I find it easier to give grace to others than be gracious to myself. Little and big things I'd never consider telling other people off for I tell myself off for.

Grace from God is easier to receive than grace from myself or others - I know God doesn't expect anything back - it's just who He is... 'grace' from others sometimes is hard to accept as there are sometimes instances where people do it for their own 'righteous' gain (sometimes it's hard to tell if that's the case).

One of the questions posed by Yancey is "How does our church currently reach out in grace - to our members, to our community, to our world?" I think Cession does a good 'job' at being gracious (though I think it's more about who you are than setting out to do something because you have to) especially to people who are on a faith journey with lots of questions and a strong dislike of church; also to people in need within the community. The bigger thing that strikes me within this question is the question of how I might be reaching out in grace, especially to the world...
I know that I give money to charity/missions, and try to help people where I can...but is that 'love' rather than 'grace'? How much do those concepts cross-over? In my mind I sense I give grace when someone has made poor decisions that impact on others in a negative way.
I feel like I can give grace, but I don't have the opportunity to give grace that frequently...and that thought scares me as it makes me wonder how much I'm actually engaging with people on a deep level, and how much I'm willing to meet people outside of my friend group now. And there I go again - expecting big things of myself to be something. Ahhh, I need grace.

This DVD series could be interesting! I'll keep you posted on my musings.