Share God's Grace

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show

you compassion.”

Isaiah 30:18

The Biblical meaning of “grace” is the “unmerited favor of God.” Grace cannot be earned nor is it deserved – it is a gift from God.

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from

yourselves, it is the gift of God –“

Ephesians 2:8

Just as God gifts us His grace, we are to share His gift of grace with others – compassion and acceptance for who they truly are. The cancer support group setting gives us ample opportunity to share God’s grace with all who participate. I have written before that the cancer support group needs to be a safe place for all to expose their weaknesses, but it also needs to be a place where they have permission:

• To ask questions – Many people fear to ask questions because they fear it is an indication of a lack of faith in God or knowledge of God. Create an atmosphere where questions are welcomed and encouraged, even if there may not be an easy answer or no answer at all. I believe that asking the tough questions is the pathway to a stronger, real faith.
• To doubt their faith – Many people fear to share their doubts about their faith in God. Those seeds of doubt, if left in the darkness of their hearts, will develop roots and continue to grow. Allow a time for participants to share their doubts and hearts. Bringing their doubts out into the light will allow the Truth to penetrate their hearts. I believe that facing our doubts is a stepping-stone to a stronger, real faith.
• To be angry – When one is struggling with cancer, there are many reasons for anger to be stirred in their heart. Anger is a secondary emotion, with the primary emotion being hurt, fear or frustration – all of these primary emotions are part of the journey of a cancer patient. What is important for the resolution of anger is to deal with the root of that anger. What better place to deal with it than in the presence of others who understand and can share God’s grace and compassion.

Cancer support group participants will experience the grace of God when given permission to share their questions, doubts, fears and anger, and, to their surprise, still find acceptance and compassion. It’s a privilege to share God’s grace and compassion with others and then see the transforming affect it has on their lives.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Jan Dravecky