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Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12 NIV

I have had so many of those moments during this journey. You know those moments – when you just get so irritated with people. You can’t believe what they said or didn’t say. You can’t believe what they did or didn’t do. You want to scream…Don’t you understand how much pain I’m in???? One of the many things God has spoken to me through my Stephen’s minister was the answer to that very question…No, they don’t get it, and they are not supposed to.

Fortunately, probably most of the people we know or come in contact with have not experienced the depth of pain that you go through when you lose your spouse. But then most have also never experienced the depth of God’s love, compassion and provision that we are experiencing either.

It is so important that we give ourselves grace during this time. There are days, weeks, months when we walk around in a fog. There are many, many times when we are irritable and every day we struggle to deal with our loss. But more important than giving ourselves grace, we need to remember God has given us grace. Grace when we didn’t deserve it. Grace that covers absolutely everything we could possibly think, say or do. Grace because He loves us more than we can begin to comprehend. I am so grateful none of things I have thought or said on this journey stand between me and my God whom I so desperately need. His Son has already paid for every one of our sins on the Cross, and we can call out to our God with confidence. Our sin is as far away from us as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12 NIV).

It is because of His Grace, that the Holy Spirit lives in us once we believe. And it is through the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. It is why when someone does or says the wrong thing, we are, if we choose, able to respond with kindness and extend grace to them. It isn’t always our natural response, but through Him it is possible. And each time we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, we have the privilege of letting others see Christ living in us!

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You so much for loving us and covering us with Your grace! Thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son who died on the Cross for us. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who guides us and comforts us! Please help us to remember every day the gift of Your grace and help us to clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Father, let others see You living in us that You may be glorified! Amen