I got angry this morning. At a person I love. Because this person didn’t do something in the way that it should have been done. Or maybe more accurately, in the way I would have done it.
I dropped off the girls at their last day of nature camp and as I drove home I simply spoke the word out loud in my car, by myself,
Grace.
And then I caught my breath: I’d given CASEY ANTHONY grace this week {a woman I’ve never met} and I am having trouble controlling my anger against someone I love.
It’s easy {for a good lot of us} to breathe
grace,
forgiveness,
second chances
for those people who do bad things to other people. Big, bad things.
But not for the simple, easy transgressions committed by those who love and live around us every day.
Something to think about.
Do you have greater trouble forgiving those you love or those you don’t love?
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Oh I can attest to that. It seems so easy to give grace to those we do not know but so hard to show grace to our loved ones. I want to show grace to everyone, because He showed me grace. Great post.
Sarah! I NEEDED this post. TODAY (and more days than I would like to admit)- I fall into the same trap of frustrations and grace and forgiveness. Thank you for being so bold in sharing this, your perspective has helped shape mine today.
Sarah! Thank you so much for this post, I needed it as I didn’t show grace to my wife last night. God shows us so much grace, how stupid we become by not show grace to others. Please forgive me honey, I am a work in progress.
Sigh. Like my almost 3 year old little boy. He got a new toddler bed 2 weeks ago because he was climbing over the crib sides. He gets up at nap time and goes in a pokes his older brother in the eye. He walked up a few nights ago and got a piece of bubble gum from the pantry. I tuck him in again and again and again. Then he walks upstairs with all of his blankets crying. So, I decided to yell, right at him. STAY IN YOUR BED!!! Cooper says, “Don’t yell like that. It hurts my feelings.” I need second chance grace with myself and my growing 2 year old.
Yes. I have been having a hard time understanding people close to me and feeling unloved, disrespected and ignored.
Yet, I often find myself giving others a free pass or telling people to “give them a second chance” when they share about their hurt re: family members.
I need to step back and realize the inconsistency and dole out grace. LOTS OF GRACE.
Wow. How true that is! I suppose it is because with Casey Anthony, we were not the ones who were really hurt. When someone we love hurts us, it makes it hard. I think the fundamental question is are we going to trust God that He is going to take care of us — make all things right in the end. Great post, once again.
Sarah ~ thanks for your honesty and for sharing this post. I find the same thing: sometimes it’s easier to share grace with people you don’t even know, but much harder with those who are close to us in the practical little details of our everyday lives.
So true!! As a single mom (my daughter is now 20) I found it often hardest to give grace to her, not because she was a bad kid — she was actually a very easy child to raise – but mainly because of my own stress levels and anxieties. I think it is AWESOME that you caught yourself and breathed out the word grace in the situation! Because not only to we need to give others grace– we need it ourselves!
GRACE. I needed to display more of it tonight when my husband was tailgating…. again…. I have so much to learn…
[...] Breathing Second Chances | Sarah Markley [...]
Oh yes, have I ever had trouble with meeting out grace and mercy to a loved one. For that I am ashamed. Thank you for the reminder of the importance of this aspect lof Christ-like behavior. I think we do it because we just expect them to know. Thus, we take advantage of our loved ones. Then if we act on our irritation we become receipiants of their grace-we hope and pray. Great post.
Sarah, I love you for this. I’m sitting in the midst of a situation (right this minute) that doesn’t have nearly enough grace in it. I’m trying to bring some, but there is resistance. Thank you for reminding me not to let grace go.
I love your humility. Just found my way to your page. Hoping to stay connected. Thanks for sharing your journey. Blessings!
Such a good follow up to your post about Casey… thank you so much. My prayer every day is for grace to be my first reaction. I’m a work in progress.
great post sarah! i can totally relate to this…i think so often im totally forgiving with others and the toughest on those that i love the most…crazy how that works sometimes….thanks for the great words and your incredible support of grace! peace….mike