The Gift

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 

I found a quote, by Max Lucado, that resonated with me: "To accept grace is the vow to GIVE it.  You don't endorse the deeds of your offender when you forgive them. Jesus didn't endorse your sins by forgiving you. The grace-defined person, still sends thieves to jail and expects the ex to pay child support. Grace see the hurt full well. BUT grace refuses to let hurts poison the heart."

Now, according to my research, the word "Grace" is the Greek word "charis" which means "good will, loving kindness, favor - of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues"

If we are willing to accept God's grace and forgiveness, we must be gracious to those who would cause us hurt and refuse to allow the hurt to poison our hearts.  One of the most freeing things you can do is to be gracious enough to forgive!