Dear Younger Me,
Be gracious. Yes, it’s far easier to extend grace to others than it is to yourself, but there are moments and days when you could extend a little more, you know? There are times you tend to be selfish, and then you let others get on your nerves instead of being loving, generous, forgiving, or understanding.
Proverbs 11:16 says, “A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches.” I know you want to be that gracious woman. I know you want that heart of letting love be your highest goal as it says in 1 Corinthians 14. It’s not your natural inclination to be others-focused instead of self-focused, but that’s what love calls us to do. When your little sister ruins that collectible toy, when your ears hear words that pierce your heart, when you are asked to compromise over choosing what you really want, learn grace and love and understanding.
I think if you realized that what irritates you won’t matter in the long run, and that grace for the moment can change your perspective and attitude for the future, you won’t let the little things bother you quite so much. Yes, there are actions of others that will hurt you. Yes, there are actions of others that will simply rub you the wrong way. I’m not telling you to shove the pain away, but to acknowledge that there are sometimes things under the surface of those actions that you can’t see and might not understand until later. And, when you choose grace and forgiveness, you also choose a softer heart.
Love,
Megan
