One of my favorite hobbies is painting. I love having a pallet of colors and watching different hues being created as I mix various colors. For me it’s a time I enjoy quiet conversations with my Lord. He is the Master of creativity and I love to reflect on how much God must enjoy splashing colors all over His canvas of time and space.

My husband and I were talking with a mentor of ours recently. As we discussed ministry, he mentioned how black and white he used to see things. But now he sees less black or white. Instead, he sees Grace.

Grace. I have to agree with this concept. Grace brings comfort to the broken. Grace allows the maturing process to take place. Grace gives time for wounds to heal.

Reflecting on my own past, I’ve not always understood this. There’s right and wrong. Black and white. NO GREY allowed! With sin, that is correct. Scripture is clear – either we serve Him or we serve satan. No middle road. Yet in my black and white mentality I often did not give allowance for those who truly were seeking to grow in Christ but were just having to go through a process. Grace allows for the process.

Add white to a small dab of black and start mixing the two. You get a lighter black. Keep adding white and the hue will continue to brighten. Dark grey to light gray to mostly white. Finally the white can wash away any trace of grey.

My husband’s health has walked through a process this year. From knocking on death’s door to now standing and preaching God’s Word. The change wasn’t over night. Even though God gave us miracles all along the way, it’s still been a process. Like a child taking baby steps then running.

God’s Word is still the same. We must be hot or cold for Him. Not lukewarm. But we also must remember that it is the Father who judges the heart. We read fruit. We ask Him to reveal hearts. We seek His guidance instead of assuming we understand the road someone else is walking.

We see attitudes. Grace sees a broken heart. We see defiance. Grace sees a person seeking to be accepted.

Too often we see only in black and white. May this year we seek to go beyond the natural and seek God’s heart in a matter. May we see Grace.