If you stop for one second and do something, everyone is happy. You pay it forward and it comes back to you twelve-fold.
Mariska Hargitay
Standing in line at the cashier, I decided to pay with the cash I had on hand. The amount came to the exact dollar amount in my wallet, except it needed thirteen cents more. I rummaged through my handbag to cover the difference. The woman behind me said, “Hey, I’ll get it for you.”
Instead of accepting her offer, I searched frantically for the coins, only to remember that I keep my change in the car. She repeated gently, “I’ll get it.” I insisted that I would pay her back when we got outside. She simply replied, “Pay it forward.” Immediately I understood and promised I would.
I left the store, found the coins in my car, and was about to give her a quarter as she exited. Then I was reminded of her words about paying it forward. I took a deep breath, sighed, and drove away.
How many times has this happened to me? I genuinely like to give but am always hesitant to receive. As I coach my clients, I recognize it’s important to do both, give generously and also be willing to accept graciously in return. One friend once countered my reluctance by saying, “Don’t stop my blessings.“
A Spiritual Reflection
This moment in the checkout line mirrors our relationship with divine grace. How often do we frantically search for ways to earn, deserve, or repay what is freely offered? Like my frantic dig for coins, we sometimes exhaust ourselves trying to make ourselves worthy of love, forgiveness, or blessing that is already being extended.
The stranger’s simple “pay it forward” echoes the heart of spiritual truth, grace received is meant to flow through us, not be hoarded or returned to its source. We cannot repay infinite love with finite gestures, just as I couldn’t adequately repay thirteen cents of kindness with a quarter.
Scripture reminds us that we love because we were first loved, and we forgive because we have been forgiven. The woman who helped me became an instrument of grace, and my role was not to repay her but to become that same instrument for someone else.
When we resist receiving, whether from strangers or from the Divine, we often miss the deeper lesson about our interconnectedness. Every act of grace we accept with humility creates space for more grace to flow through us to others.
Perhaps the most profound spiritual practice is learning to receive with the same open heart we bring to giving. In that checkout line, God was teaching me through a stranger that grace is not earned but received, not hoarded but shared, not repaid but passed forward.
Today, allow yourself to receive the gifts being offered, both human and divine, with gratitude and trust.
As with the little forget-me-not flower, God will never leave you nor forsake you.
The daily bread recounted the story of a tiny flower:.
“Several legends surround the naming of the beautiful five-petaled flower the forget-me-not. Among those stories is one from a German legend. According to the story, as God named all the plants He’d created, one little flower worried that it would be overlooked. So the flower called out, “Forget-me-not, O Lord.” And that’s the name God gave to it.”
I smiled as I read the recount of the story. It’s such a comfort that I can confidently say, God never forgets us. He went all the way to Calvary for us to set us free.
No matter our circumstances or role in life, rich, poor, homeless… no matter what, God sees each of us. We are all unique individuals to him.
Aren’t you happy for that? Let’s together shout praise and hallelujah for He has done great things!
Sometimes I am confused whether I’m talking to myself or if God is speaking to me. But when he said my sheep hear my voice, I realize when I am confused it’s me who has shifted.
I may have stopped reading the word of God, doing daily devotions, attending meetings at church, and everything that would foster my spiritual growth.
When I get back on track, I find that is when I’m more clearly able to discern his guidance and instructions.
So if you’re confused about the lord’s direction for your life, take the time to examine where you are now. Are you praying? Are you feeding your soul? It helped me. Hope it helps you too.
That’s what we do. Hence the popularity of fast food. We love the convenience of staying in our cars while we do whatever we want – work, phone call, text, chat, lyme and more.
But to eat and run consistently may not be good for us in the long term.
Likewise, consider when we do our devotions. Is it done like eating and running? Do we go so fast as if to check off a list? But what are we losing?
Read And Run Spiritually
Spending the time to Read, reflect, and apply what we have read to our lives is important. It is the only way to grow spiritually.
Let’s spend the time to pray, read the word, listen to the lord and glean his leading.
Tonight I heard him coughing and went to give him cough drops candy.
When I went over to him, he was busy praying quietly but through loud whispers. You could hear the genuine prayer. Eyes closed tightly oblivious to me even being there. He always told me that he prays but I never believed the fervency.
I went and sat on on the bench in the room until his voice finally faded into amen.
Inaudible, I Couldn’t hear what he was saying but I was taken aback by his earnest prayer for us, as family and children.
This moment brought me to reflective tears. A time of truth. A time of emotion.
Trust God. Praise Him for unplanned enlightening experiences because there are no coincidences.
We can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength
Let’s face it, sometimes we feel overwhelmed. We find it difficult to handle what comes in life. We feel lost, unable to pray for ourselves. That’s where a prayer partner comes in. Someone you trust and who cares for you physically and spiritually.
A Prayer To Strengthen Your Day
Here’s a simple prayerful wish to strengthen your day.
May the lord go before you today preparing you mentally and physically.
May the Lord grant you patience and resilience to ‘grin and bear’ the foolishness that comes along your paths at work, school or play.
May he respond when you can’t.
Mostly may the Lord be your strength in times of need.
May the Holy Spirit lead and guide your every move.
And if the lord is doing all that, may you remain confident that He has everything under his control (even when things seem out of wack).
Above all , may the lord grant you his perfect peace today, tomorrow and always.
GREENLiGHT 