Blog: Past Grace

Everyone has a past. Everyone has had a beginning. We all took those small steps to get to where we are today. Some have taken paths that were more rugged than others. Some have taken paths that have been slightly easier. We have all journeyed down this road called life. Many times there were forks in the road, and decisions had to be made, both good and bad. Some parts we do not want to tread again, some parts we wish we could walk once more.

When I think about my past, I can see all of my experiences shaping me into the person I am today. The pains, the joys, the stumbles, and the successes. Every emotion, every situation has changed me either in both positive and negative ways. When I look back though, the thing I see most is grace. I see grace for my mistakes. I see grace in my struggles for acceptance and in the bitterness I harbored. I see grace in the blessings I have and do not deserve nor acknowledge. I see God’s grace in every step that brought me to where I am today.

Although I may see grace in my past, it was not always that way. I was too ignorant to see it before. I was too busy, or I refused to believe or accept that grace was being poured out into my life because of my pain. I blocked out my past and wanted to forget what was there. But the truth is, the past is important to who I am now in the present. It may not have been easy, and it may not all seem pleasant, but I am grateful for every step of my life.

If we forget what lies in our past, we miss an important and precious gift. The gift of seeing God’s grace in our lives, molding and shaping us into the likeness of His Son Jesus. We may not now see the purpose or reasons for our experiences, if ever at all. But for certain, we know that He is a good and sovereign God, our Father who takes care of His children. In this we can find comfort and rest, and hopefully, we can see His grace working in every step of our lives.

-- J. Jee