Journeys in Grace

Grace is a funny concept, I feel like whenever grace is mentioned it always has to do with Jesus having grace for us or for us to have grace for the people around us when they hurt us. Very rarely do I ever hear people say that you have to have grace for yourself. This concept of forgiving ourselves and not carrying guilt can be incredibly elusive, at least to me. Elusive that is, until I came to Germany.

Unterwegs is a community based on grace, grace for one another and grace for themselves. If I could choose one word that has defined my summer so far it would be (you guessed it) grace. It means to let go of the guilt that we place on ourselves or the expectations that we place on ourselves. In the words of the great theologian Elsa from Frozen we have to let it go because we can't hold it back anymore. We cannot hold grace back anymore because of the grace that has been given to us. We don't conceal or don't feel...we forgive.

I feel guilt pretty regularly, whether it is for things that I said (or didn't say), things that I did (or didn't do), or if I am just having a cruddy day. I am being reminded though of a simple question, "How can we hold grudges against ourselves or other people when God already forgave that?" If God has already forgiven me and others than I need to forgive them. If I do not forgive then I say that God was wrong to forgive me or them. Unterwegs continually shows me grace despite my weaknesses and I want to show that grace to the people around me, whether in Germany or America. That is what the Gospel is all about, whether you are serving children in Africa, pastoring a church in America, working a job in Germany, or strolling the streets of Tokyo. Christianity is showing the truth, in love and grace through the words we say and the actions we use.

These last few weeks have had an incredible impact on my life. I have wrestled with every emotion I think possible, grown more in the last 3.5 weeks than I have in the previous 3.5 months, and have developed friendships with people that I know will last for much longer than just this summer. The most profound impact  as I have said is this crazy concept called grace. It is interwoven into every aspect of life here and it is something that I am continuing to learn. As I continue to learn, I want to seek Christ in every way imaginable, so that I can be more like Him everyday. So until next time, have grace for yourself and the people around you.

Jacob Bush