Thursday, February 21, 2013

On Grace


Yesterday, I went to a networking luncheon with one of my co-workers. It was in the Tower Club, 48 stories up in the heart of downtown – breathtaking view of Dallas and surrounding areas. I wish I had snapped a picture, but we were fashionably late and by the time we were seated, our speaker was about to start. 

I walked in not knowing what to expect, and walked out feeling very blessed.  Kat, the speaker and founder of this all-women organization called Polish spoke about Buddhism and the 8-fold path to enlightenment.  She talked about the 8 steps and how Buddha laid this all out for us to follow but leaves it up to the individual to follow it and complete all the steps.  Sounds like a good plan to me.  If I follow the steps that are laid out for me- I will achieve enlightenment.  It’s up to me – I control my destiny.

Then she spoke about Christianity – about grace. She described grace as something that we are given but did not deserve. Believing in grace is to have faith that no matter what we do, God’s plan for us will prevail. Believing in grace means to give up control. What?! Who wants to give up control of their own destiny and leave it up to somebody or something else?  Not this girl!

But then I thought about it some more.  What have I done to deserve this life that I am living? What have I done to deserve such wonderful people around me? What have I done to deserve parents who have given me so much, to deserve a loving husband, to deserve such beautiful, precious children? Probably no more than anybody else who is suffering.  So there must be grace. If I believe in grace, I must also have faith and trust in God and His plan for me – to let go of control, anxiety, fear, and envy. Because in the end, things will work out.  It has for the past 36 years.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast. -Ephesians 2:5

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