Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re asking God for a little help—just a sprinkle of grace—and instead, He flips the script on you? “Sure, I’ve got grace for you, but let’s talk about how you’re giving it to others.”
Not exactly what you were hoping for, right?
We all want grace when we mess up. We crave it when we’re at our lowest. We practically beg for it when life gets tough. But here’s the divine plot twist that changes everything: the path to receiving more grace in your life might not be asking for it—it might be giving it away. And that’s where most of us hit a spiritual roadblock we never saw coming.
The Two-Way Street of Grace
Here’s the truth: grace isn’t just something we receive—it’s something we’re called to extend. And if we’re honest with ourselves, extending grace isn’t always easy, especially when people test our patience. Whether it’s difficult coworkers, button-pushing family members, or that driver who cut you off in traffic, giving grace in challenging moments is tough. Yet that’s precisely what we’re called to do.
Grace Is Infinite
God’s grace isn’t just sufficient—it’s infinite. It’s like the air surrounding us. Most of the time, we don’t even think about it, but it’s there, sustaining us. The moment we become aware of it, we realize just how much we depend on it.
That’s what grace is—an unending ocean, a steady breeze, a constant force we can swim in. Yet we often struggle to grasp its magnitude. We treat grace like a limited resource to be rationed when, in reality, God has given us an overflow. We’re not meant to hoard it; we’re meant to pour it out to others.
Grace Multiplied
When God placed “Grace Multiplied” on our hearts for this year, we were excited! Yes, Lord! Multiply that grace in our lives! More favor, more open doors, more blessings—bring it on!
And then came the divine fine print: To receive grace multiplied, we have to give grace multiplied.
Oh.
Give Grace to Understand Grace
Here’s a challenging truth: we don’t fully recognize God’s grace until we start giving it away. The more we extend it, the more we understand it. The more we forgive, the more we grasp how much we’ve been forgiven. God’s grace meets us exactly where we are—we don’t have to earn it or work our way up to it. But we do have a responsibility to reflect it in our lives.
Grace in Action
Let me share a story. A friend of mine had an encounter with an angry neighbor who came charging into the street, yelling and accusing him of speeding—in a car that could barely reach the speed limit if it tried! Many of us might have responded with defensiveness or a sharp comeback. Instead, my friend simply listened, apologized, and promised to be more careful.
Four weeks later, that neighbor moved away.
Really—packed up and left.
When we extend grace, God moves in ways we never could. We might think standing up for ourselves will fix a situation, but sometimes the greatest power comes through humility. Grace isn’t about becoming a doormat; it’s about trusting that God handles situations better than we ever could.
Grace and Forgiveness
We all love receiving grace, but extending forgiveness? That’s considerably harder. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We say the words, but do we truly live by them?
Jesus made it clear—if we want to experience God’s grace, we must be willing to extend it to others. That doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior or pretending we weren’t hurt. It means choosing not to let that hurt define us. It means surrendering it to God rather than carrying it around until it festers into bitterness.
Bitterness is like a disease that spreads, infecting everything and transforming us into people we don’t want to be. The only cure? Grace. Letting go. Forgiving—not because others deserve it, but because we deserve peace.
Faith Activates Grace
You might be thinking, “I understand I need to give grace, but how do I actually do that when I’m still hurting?”
The answer lies in faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Grace works through faith. That means trusting God enough to say, “I can’t do this on my own, but I believe You can work through me.”
Faith isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about leaning on God when we don’t. It’s choosing grace when everything within us wants to choose anger. It’s believing that God sees our situation and is already working it out for good.
Healing Through Grace
Some of us carry wounds so deep that we can’t imagine letting them go. Betrayal. Abandonment. Words that cut to the core. And God gently says, “Give it to Me. Let Me grace it.”
Perhaps we need to surrender it to Him today, then again tomorrow, and again next week. Maybe we’ll need to release it 400 times before it finally loosens its grip on our hearts. That’s okay. Just keep giving it to Him. Keep choosing grace.
God never asks us to do something He won’t equip us for. If He’s calling us to give grace, He has already given us the strength to do it. And when we open our hands and release our pain, God replaces it with something far greater—peace.
Your Grace Challenge
Maybe you’ve been holding onto something—bitterness, resentment, the need to be right. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for someone to apologize, to make things right, to fix what they broke. But what if grace is the answer? What if the freedom you’re seeking lies on the other side of letting go?
I challenge you today: ask God to help you extend grace. It might be to a friend who let you down, a difficult coworker, or even yourself. God’s grace is infinite, with more than enough to go around. But remember—you’ve gotta give it to get it.
So what about you? Who do you need to extend grace to today?