"good" and "perfect" and "grace"

i've been pondering this thought, this "perhaps": that all is grace.

that all is grace.

gifts, mercies, joys...grace...challenges, struggles, trials...grace. 

(it seems counterintuitive, but go with me for a moment and consider the possibility)

if all we truly deserve is death (which Jesus took on the cross and conquered shortly thereafter) then every "good" thing (enjoyable, pleasurable, beautiful) given is is purely out of grace...yes?

if we deserve death, punishment, retribution, etc, but Jesus took all that on the cross (and God is gracious and good, slow to anger and full of lovingkindness, and doesn't go back on his word, and his word is, "it is finished")...then every "bad" thing (hard, draining, ugly) we endure is...what?

karma? satan? punishment?

grace?

"every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."

(james 1)

but that doesn't mean that he only gives good things, does it?

isn't he "the Father who scourges"? (hebrew 12)

but isn't discipline grace?

it's true that there are natural consequences for our actions (drunken revelry=puking your guts out, promiscuous sexuality=STDs, etc) 

and that there are inherit negative results of the fall (illness, disease, death)

but haven't we all heard stories of those who have made terrible decisions and wrap up with, "but by the grace of God, i never ________ (insert worst-case-scenario)."?

the sick child whom God graciously restored back to health?

a terrible business decision which God graciously delivers the believer from?

or the drunk driver who lost the ability to walk?

or the child who died suddenly despite prayers?

or the one who lost everything?

further in hebrews 12:

"...He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness."

paul's thorn in the flesh

lazarus' death

the thought i have pondered is that all things given,

death or life,

sorrowful trial or joyful blessing,

are given as graces from a gracious Father.

the possibility

that, as a good father knows that this child's rebellion will be best met with a warm embrace

and that child's rebellion will only be corrected with a stern word,

so the Father of lights knows that here i need gracious reprieve,

and there i need to experience the gravity of my error.

this one needs to be lavished upon in obvious blessing to bring her back to the right path,

and that one needs to be allowed to fall hard on the path he's strayed to 

to realize just how far he's wandered

this blessing will bring Him glory and He will hold me humble;

this trial will bring Him glory and He will hold me strong.

grace.

revelling in the lovingkindness of the lavish gifts of God...

grace.

growing endurance, patience, a steadfast spirit (and in the end strong character) through trial...

grace.

Jesus gave thanks when the breaking of the bread 

preceded the feeding of many thousands,

and also when the breaking of bread preceded the breaking of His body.

can i do the same?

receive all as grace?

it's a long road, with so many questions and uncertainties, to come to a place where we can rejoice with the healed lepers in having received such grace, 

and 

rejoice with the flogged and beaten apostles in having received such...grace. 

for the glory of God, for the fullness of knowing Christ, for becoming everything we were created to be, i think it's a road worth pursuing.

i think "good" and "perfect" are words worth reconsidering...redefining in our hearts,

until we can see all as grace,

and receive all with thanksgiving.

every good and perfect gift  is from above...

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

-2 Corinthians 12

things you should read:

-every story or verse referenced above, to read the context;

if you don't know where it is, google it, or ask

-One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

-2 Corinthians 12:7-10

-the book of Galatians

-everything else Paul wrote in the New Testament of the Bible...

talk about a guy who knew what grace was.