When life gets hard or uncertain, sometimes it can be difficult to notice the subtle ways that God blesses you with love and grace.
Peace
Have you ever been in the midst of a chaotic or frightening situation and suddenly felt overwhelming calm? Your circumstances may not have changed yet, but that inner peace you feel is a sign of grace at work.
This sense of “everything will be alright” is God whispering in your ear that you don’t have to face life alone.
Timing
Ever had an experience when everything seemed to go your way in perfect timing? For example, right as you’re about to pick up that bill, it gets paid, or a door opens right as another one is slammed shut.
These moments are not just coincidences. They are glimpses of God showing you that he sees your needs. Even if you can’t see the full picture, you are being delivered to exactly where you need to be at just the right time.
Kindness
Grace often manifests itself through other people: friends, family members, or even strangers. A friend calls you when you’re feeling alone. Someone you’ve never spoken to compliments you and gives you that push you needed to make it through your day.
Each act of kindness is like a love note sent from the universe, letting you know that you matter and you are loved by others simply for existing on this planet.
Nature
Ever stare out into nature and suddenly feel overwhelmed by how beautiful it all is? Sinking your toes into the sand, hearing the rain fall, or watching a bird land on a branch near you; grace can look like these little moments of appreciation.
They are God causing you to feel connected to something bigger than yourself, lifting you out of your thoughts and bringing you into the present moment to refresh your spirit.
Strength
Have you ever had one of those weeks where you think to yourself, “How did I make it through that?” Maybe you needed an extra push or a second wind to get through a trial.
Whatever it was that gave you strength when you thought you had none is grace. Sometimes all we need is for someone or something to hold us up when we can’t hold ourselves together.
Protection
Sometimes grace shows up in the form of what didn’t happen. You might narrowly miss your flight only to find out later that it was delayed.
Or wanted something so badly, but when it fell through, you realized it wouldn’t have been beneficial for you anyway? Sometimes grace shows up in the form of closed doors.
It can be so frustrating in the moment, but always know that if you look back, you were being protected from something that would have hurt you.
Forgiveness
When you can let go of that heavy feeling in your chest and move on from something you’ve done wrong, that is grace.
We all make mistakes, but when you finally feel at peace with the error that you made, you have been given the greatest gift: forgiveness. You are no longer chained down by your past and can start fresh.
Provision
You know you’ve been provided for when your basic needs are being met. Whether it’s through a small, unexpected bill that pops up in your mailbox, your neighbor bringing you dinner, or you finding the resource you’ve been searching for right when you’re about to lose hope.
These are all gifts of provision. They’re there to remind you that even when you feel there is nothing, you have everything because someone has got your back.
Intuition
Ever get that voice in your gut that tells you to slow your roll or take a different direction? When you follow your instincts and end up in a safe place or reach your desired destination, that is grace.
When life throws crazy things at us, it can be hard to hear the voice of God. But trusting your intuition can help you walk through this life with confidence.
Rest
In this busy world we live in, true rest can be like heaven on earth. If you’re going through a season of insomnia and you finally get a full night’s rest, that’s grace allowing your body and mind to shut off for a few hours.
Life can be so noisy. So whenever we can find stillness and silence, whether it be from sleep or sitting quietly on the couch, that’s grace inviting you to stop doing and just be loved.
Joy
No one likes to feel sad. But if you can find even the smallest thing to laugh about in a season of grief, you’ve been graced with joy. That little glimmer of happiness that shines through the clouds and warms your heart.
Whether it’s the joke your friend tells you or an actual grin that spreads across your face, that’s grace. It’s there to prove to you that this season doesn’t define your happiness and that brighter days are coming.
Wisdom
Have you ever had a problem and then suddenly you get a solution? Maybe you’re reading a book, listening to a song, or even having a random conversation with your mom, and unexpectedly, the answer is revealed to you.
When you gain that sudden knowledge and can view your situation from a different perspective, freeing you of the unknown, that’s grace. Wisdom is such a beautiful gift because it shows you the way when you thought you had no more answers.
Hope
Most important on the list is that little glimmer of hope in your heart that things will be okay. If you can stand amid the storm and believe that everything will work out in the end, you’ve been graced with hope.
Hope is like a small flame that no matter how hard life blows against it, it will never go out as long as you continue to breathe.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
