FRIDAY: RECEIVE, WITH GRACE

“Human life runs its course in the metamorphosis between receiving and giving.”

Poet, novelist and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There are a gazillion references to receiving in the Bible. I bet it’s even a law of nature to receive, accept, and then bless others! If flowers could not receive the warmth from sunshine, they would not survive. If the flowers did not in turn bless the bees with pollen, the hives would not grow and so on. All cycles and rhythms would be stopped without both sides doing their part.

How are you at accepting blessings or gifts from others? Or from yourself? Or from God?

Receiving with grace means the ability to accept anything given with love and to allow that love to flow into us—even if we don’t feel we deserve it. Grace is an unearned gift. It comes from a Greek word, “charis” which implies a kindness bestowed upon someone that he or she has not earned.

We need to consciously live in such a way that we feel, deep down, we are loved and worthy of love. We need to feel we deserve good things and blessings in our lives.

Do you, deep inside, feel that you don’t deserve time, gifts, acknowledgments, blessings or anything else from yourself, others and God? That you are not worthy? Be honest. This is when working with grace and the concept of grace is critical for learning to accept. We receive His grace whether we deserve it or not.

Do you feel as if you are a one-way stream of giving—that everybody wants, wants, wants from you? Frequently, people who are very generous run into people who are very good at taking! Are you surrounded by takers, people who don’t give anything in return? If you are, focus on the choices you have made and review them, or your situation.

Are you really being taken advantage of or have you forgotten that you offered to give initially? Or that it might be your responsibility to give as a parent, for example? Often when we feel taken advantage of, people really are trying to give to us, but we don’t see that or accept it. Most people want to return generosity.

Mind you, if we are generous, there are some people out there who will knowingly or unknowingly take advantage of us. If you feel someone is taking advantage of you, you may feel resentment, and it’s okay to have that feeling. It’s how you respond to that feeling that matters. Don’t wish those constant takers harm or do anything to harm them, but it may be time to be cautious. Either discuss the situation with the person, or if possible, set yourself up so that they can’t take advantage of you again.

Do you ever feel love flowing into your heart, or a sense of being “bathed” in love? This can be God’s grace being poured out on you. I notice this the most after I have been giving love out to others, or serving them.

Maybe you will receive intuition, inspiration or be uplifted by something that comes to your heart—these are gifts. We need to make time so we can receive the inspiration or intuition. Sometimes it comes in the shower—we don’t even have to work at it. Only you can decide what you need to do to be able to recognize and receive love, inspiration, intuition, or other forms of blessings from God and others.

Your task today is to quietly contemplate receiving and accepting love. Do you gratefully receive by sitting with God and allowing him to fill you with His love? Or do you do it by being in nature and allowing her to soothe your soul? Or do you do it by spending time at the ocean and feeling at one with everything?

Do you need to silence the “tormentor” in your thoughts who fills you with fear? If so, replace it with the voice of love and reason—that you are a worthwhile person, despite what you may or may not have done.

Remember, some of God’s blessings may come from other people (often angels disguised as people!) so be on the alert. You never know where or when a blessing will appear! It is your job to receive that blessing with grace, allow it to truly enter your heart, and let it flow out to others.

Of course, there are always those who bring a gift in the form of a criticism. How do you receive criticism? Does it crush you, or make you defensive or angry? Receiving negative comments in an adult and mature way means being able to hear them, look at them objectively, assess what truth there is in them, and then work with what you find.

Thank the person if they have opened up a valuable area of growth for you—even if it is painful. And if you find no truth in it, perhaps you can discuss it and learn to see it from their point of view.

There are blessings everywhere if you have a spirit of receiving and gratitude!

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