The concept of grace, especially God’s grace, is often on my mind. Whether I’m reading God’s Word, praising Him for His amazing grace, or reflecting on my own journey, I find myself returning to this theme again and again. In fact, I carry a constant reminder of it: the words grace upon grace are tattooed on my forearm, a reflection of John 1:16, “From His fullness we have received, grace upon grace”.

Years ago, I wrote about the meaning behind my tattoo on my old blog, explaining what it meant to me and how God’s grace had shaped my life. Though that blog no longer exists, the message remains in my life today. Grace continues to be one of the significant influences in my journey with God. In the next section, I share a bit of what I had written about in my old blog.

Grace that found me

As a young woman, I faced many obstacles: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Some of those struggles still linger today, and others have come my way. Yet, through it all, God’s never-ending grace enabled me to move forward. Without understanding His grace, I don’t think I could’ve truly understood the Gospel or God’s will for my life. Without grace, I’d still be weighed down by anger, shame, denial, and self-pity. But everything changed when the Spirit revealed Grace, Himself, and that’s when I realised that someone so undeserving of love and mercy, like me, could still be fully covered. No matter how far I fell, God’s Spirit spoke love and peace over me. When I stumbled, He lifted me up and led me forward again. While others may have misjudged or mistreated me, He never forsook me. Through every crooked path, He straightened my way, like a crooked stick drawing straight lines. Today, I am who and where I am because of His unearned favour and love. Although I never deserve it, God’s grace continues to sustain me.

Grace that flows through relationships

Grace didn’t stop at changing my heart; it began transforming how I relate to others. When people hurt me, misunderstand me, or act unkindly, I remind myself: grace upon grace.

• Grace is patience
• Grace is compassion
• Grace is transformative
• Grace is comfort and love when it’s least deserved
• Grace is looking out for another despite our own feelings
• Grace is an overflow from the source Himself: God.

For many of us, if not all of us, it’s not easy. For me, sometimes my flesh wants to respond with anger or withdrawal. But then I remember, I didn’t deserve grace either, and yet God poured it out freely. That is the truth that underpins my choices when it comes to extending grace. If not for God’s amazing grace shown to us through Christ’s sacrificial love, none of this would be possible. His grace enables me to care beyond reason, to love when it’s inconvenient, to show patience, and to respond with compassion instead of retaliation. This doesn’t mean ignoring wrongs; it means responding with wisdom, love, and care. Grace continues to remind me that everyone is on their own journey with the Lord, and that we have a part to play in the relationships we nurture and maintain. As scripture says, “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace”. Out of that fullness, my prayer is that grace will overflow from me to others.

Grace that transforms how we serve

During a recent devotional time, I read Romans 12:3-8, a passage that reminds us that our gifts are given to us and are meant for serving the body of Christ. As I reflected on this, I realised that the more deeply we understand grace, the easier it becomes to serve others selflessly. Grace moves us from serving out of obligation or expectation to serving out of love. When we’ve truly experienced God’s grace, our hearts are filled with joy and a desire to bless others. To be honest, our human nature tends to focus on ourselves, on what we get in return, but God draws us beyond ourselves, even when we think the other person doesn’t deserve kindness, love, and mercy. He calls us to love even when it’s hard, to show mercy even when it feels undeserved, and to serve even when no one is watching. We cannot extend grace from our own strength; therefore, we can’t do all this on our own. Again, the source of grace is God Himself. Through Christ, we can come freely to His throne and receive mercy and grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). So, when we experience moments that tempt us to respond with an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, we need to turn to God and ask Him for the strength and help we need to turn the other cheek and extend grace.

Grace in everyday life

As I continue on this journey, I’m learning to meditate more deeply on God’s truth about grace and what this means for me as a believer in Christ. Not just in theory, but in practice, within my relationships with others.

• What does grace look like in my marriage when conflict arises?
• How can I show grace to my parents, who have faithfully raised twelve children and continue to give so much for others?
• How can I extend grace toward those who have hurt me or my loved ones?

Romans 12 reminds me that extending grace requires trust, faith, and a renewed mind grounded in God’s Word. One thought crossed my mind that morning when I unpacked verses 6-8, and that is: the power of grace shows up with the one who has the upper hand. I was thinking about God and how He always has the upper hand, “yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). What amazing grace! That is our God and His loving and gracious response to our sinful state. He moved towards us with kindness, mercy, love, and compassion. Not because we earned it, but because He cares for us and is gracious. So, when I face challenges or difficulties in relationships, I try to keep this at the forefront of my heart and mind. It’s not always instantaneous, but grace always leads me to the place God wills for me. If you’re struggling in a relationship with your spouse, parents, siblings, friends, relatives, or colleagues, remember who you were before God found you and the experience of His grace in your life. Let that memory soften your heart. Move towards others as God moved towards you. He will give you the strength to respond in a way that builds up rather than tears down, and reflects His love rather than your own hurt or desires.

All in all, I am truly grateful for the gift of salvation and for God’s continuous work through His Spirit in my life. Though I still make mistakes and fall short, it is only by His grace that I continue to move forward. My hope and prayer is that as you read this blog, something resonates, whether it’s a word, an idea, or a reminder of God’s mercy in your own life.

Take a moment to reflect:

• Where has God shown you grace recently?
• And how might you extend that same grace to someone else today?

May God bless you, strengthen you, and fill your heart with His amazing grace – grace upon grace.

Much love and prayers,
🙏❤️
Ella