I need grace today. A lot of it. I am struggling to see Him. My heart is prone to discouragement and doubt. Fear sneaks in and disrupts my faith, creating bumps and causing bruises that make my soul smart. There is so much that I want to do, so much that I want to be, and yet, I just feel stuck. Guilt and shame tenaciously latch onto my heart, refusing to let go or be quiet.
Humbled, I try to breathe. I feel defeated, deflated. Once again, I need. Once again, I ask. Once again, I bring my broken heart to the edges of His presence. Even here, my fear and doubts poke through. Asking for mercy again? I have lost patience with me. How much further can God’s patience really stretch?
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” – Isaiah 30:18
Here is the good news my heart needs. God is not only willing to pour out forgiveness; He longs to be gracious to us. He is on the move in order to show us compassion. He meets us where we are – in the middle of our messes, our struggles, our hurts, and our shame – in order to cover us with mercy and enfold us in grace.
My Jesus Resolution today is to embrace the grace God offers me. I don’t have to beg for grace. I don’t have to bargain, manipulate, or backdoor my way into mercy. I just have to surrender, hold out my heart in repentance, and accept the grace He longs to pour into my soul.
Casandra Martin 
Sigh. I so need this today. I will use it tonight in my high school girls class, we are on the letter Q. God is quick. Then I will read it daily as I strive to know this for myself and as I strive to extend grace to others more easily. As I realize just how much I need it, it will be easier to extend it. Love you sweet friend! Thank you!!