Sometimes I hear a word and question its meaning.

What is grace?

Like grace.

Kindness, mercy, goodwill, favour. . .all words that speak of grace.

But what is it really?

Is it a way of being, an attitude, an experience?

The definition most appealing to me is from William Hazlitt,

“Grace has been defined as the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul.”

This resonates, but still gives me no real access to grace.

Then I remembered a question I first read in Conversations with God,

What would love do now?

The answer to this question gives me direct access to grace.

It helps me let go, forgive. . .move on.

It displaces everything leaving only grace.

My Sunday offering – grace in the words of others: 

Anne Lamott  ::  “I do not understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” 

Some emotions and experiences move through us like weather. Others, like grace leaves its presence.

Brennan Manning  ::  “To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark.”

The light and the dark. Resisting the dark causes suffering, while accepting it opens the door to grace.

Mary Oliver  ::  “You can have the other words – chance, luck, coincidence, serendipity. I’ll take grace. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I’ll take it.”

Like Mary Oliver I’m not sure what it is, but I”ll take grace too. There’s a depth and a mystery to it that appeal to my soul.

Rumi  ::  “Give up to grace. The ocean takes care of each wave ’til it gets to shore. You need more help than you know.” 

Give up, surrender, let. it. in.

Anne Lamott again  ::  “Sometimes grace works like water wings when you feel you are sinking.” 

Water wings for the soul; a heart pleasing vision.

And my personal favourite,

Karl Barth  ::  “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.”

I want to know what it means for you, and leave you with the gift of these words.

What would love do?