Embracing Grace: Lessons from the Running Trail

When I’m out running, I’ve noticed that I become happier when I pass other people out running or walking as well. I see that no matter what size each of us are, we’re all seeking the same goal- we want to be healthier. If they’re fitter than me, I’m encouraged to keep going because I too want to become better. If they’re heavier, I get excited for them because I used to be where they are and know how rewarding this journey is. This is called grace.

I have more grace for others because I’ve walked in their shoes. Knowing what it’s like to fight every day to get to where I want to be (still am), I have more of a connection to the fellow exercisers I run past than they realize.

This leads me to one of my favorite verses that I keep close to my heart. It is Romans 5:20. The two key words in the verse are “sin” and “grace”. In the world today, you don’t typically see these words being used in close proximity of each other. If someone has sinned against another, there’s usually lack of forgiveness, desire for retaliation, and heart of hate that follows. Grace tends to be something that’s casually given to the person at the intersection who might have gotten there before you, so you let them proceed through first.

To truly know the depth of the meaning of this verse, we need to fully understand what each of these key words mean.

What is Sin?

1 John 3:4 says, “Sin is the transgression (act of going against) of the law.” It’s any action that goes against what God calls us to do. Sin is a wide range of things. It can be the tiniest attitude from my toddler. It can be the murder reported about on the local news. No matter how big or how small, a transgression against what God calls us to do and how to live is sin.

What is Grace?

Grace is known as the “unmerited favor from God”. This means we receive His forgiveness, mercy, and love when we don’t deserve any of those things. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace that you’re saved through faith- it’s not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Grace is God gifting us forgiveness when we’ve wronged Him… regardless if we’ve asked His forgiveness or not.

Have you ever had someone wrong you, and you’ve had to gift them forgiveness? This can be hard enough to do when they ask for forgiveness, but it definitely gets harder when they don’t. Yet Christ does it for us all the time! Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before ever repenting of our sins, Christ made the sacrifice of His Own life to gift us His forgiveness.

When we live in this grace, embracing the forgiveness that we know we don’t come close to deserving, we live differently. We give grace more freely. It doesn’t mean it makes it easier to give grace to someone who has wronged you. It means you work hard to push through the difficulty of giving that grace because you know what it’s like to live undeserving of grace given to you.

How would our world look if every person lived according to this truth, this calling? Friendships, marriages, families, churches….

Several years ago, I was talking to a man who had been earlier found cheating on his wife. In what I can only assume was an attempt to explain to me why his actions were justifiable, he brought out a large folder of things he had written up.

He opened the folder and began reading all the accounts he had felt wronged by his wife throughout the years. Instead of forgiving shortcomings done towards him, he harbored his anger and resentment. He victimized himself, and couldn’t get past the “wrongs” done to him. I knew him and his wife extremely well. I knew he was just as guilty of doing “wrongs”, if not more, than his wife.

The powerful truth

I just recently heard a pastor say a powerful statement that could have changed the outcome of this marriage if it had been implemented. It could change YOUR marriage, friendship, family situation, etc. if you implement it.

The pastor said,

Write this down. Tape it to your bathroom mirror… I don’t care where you put it. Just put it where you’ll see it every day. This truth bomb hits home and has God’s unmatched power to break down walls, pent up resentment, and hardened hearts. We have to humble ourselves and ask that God reveal to us our sins. We have them whether we think we do or not. And in my experience, He responds pretty quickly to this prayer.

As you start to see your downfalls, you become humbled real quick. No matter how great of a run I’m having one day, there will be someone coming and passing me up on my left. This is why I try to view others with grace. We all aren’t perfect. We all can do and be better. I don’t know what’s going on in their lives; we’re all just out there trying to be healthier.

“Those who live with a daily awareness of grace will more easily extend grace to others.” Be humble. Be kind. Seek grace from Christ, and give it to those around you. Don’t plant yourself in victimhood. You may have been wronged, but you also become the one who’s wrong when you don’t forgive.

Call to action

I want you to think of times where you have done wrong to someone. Did you ever seek forgiveness? Why or why not?

Now think about the times someone has wronged you. How did you respond, or how are you responding?

How can your situation(s) change if you tie Romans 5:20 and the quote from the pastor to your heart?

The next time you’re out running, walking, cycling, etc. smile and pass along an encouraging word to those you encounter. Let’s share more grace in this dark world.

Don’t forget to check out my last post if you missed it! “Guilt Lasts Longer Than Temptation”

Always cheering you on,

Cassondra