Trying to escape my blaring, busy day, I plop on the love-seat and barricade myself with pillows. Like an automatic reflex, my eyes close just as the back of my neck nestles against the back of the couch. The ding of my phone pierces the silence in the room. A twitch shivers down my spine. Straining my neck, I peek at the text. Its sender startles me more than the sound, and a surge of nerves engulf me. What could she possibly want to talk about? Maybe it’s about the upcoming conference. Have I, somehow, offended her again? Lord, please speak through me. Give my words caution. In a moment of prayer, my mind wanders to our last encounter.

Out of over 200 women gathered that night, I was amazed I had drawn her name. A genuine feeling of happiness for her emerged from deep within, as if escaping from a secret chamber in my heart. Edging close now to over a year and a half since our squabble, time ebbed away the remains of tension, but hadn’t erased all the pain. God would work that out in His way and in His time.

I darted towards her, weaving around the mix of tables and the crowd of women headed home for the night. Our eyes met and smiles swept across our faces. We hugged, and tucked deep inside my embrace was an earnest congrats, tickled she had won the grand prize. We wrapped up the typical “how have you been” conversation with well wishes and the classic “it was so good to see you”. My aching feet begged me to sit, but the long day’s work wasn’t over. Clearing the last of the table decorations and left over cupcakes, my mind drifted to the day of our dispute. I fumed over the flimsy excuse in her text. How could my friend, my sister in the faith drop the ball and leave me hanging on a moment’s notice? Didn’t she realize she was breaking her commitment to Christ, not me? She sucker punched me with her words and blindsided me with a grudge, unbeknownst to me, she had held for months. All for saying a spiritual truth I felt the Lord nudging me to say at a ministry event. Our heated words of retaliation, ironically, paved the path to our reconciliation. Still, I grappled with the enemy, who true to form, pounced like a lion on my hurt feelings and devoured my confidence as a ministry leader.

The feel of spongy, sticky cake jarred me back to the task at hand. Licking the sugary sweetness off my finger, the Lord sent me a sweet thought. This evening, this entire display was a picture of His grace. God is intentional. He doesn’t dabble with accidents or coincidences. He had orchestrated every detail from her being there that night, down to the random placement of cards, so that no one, but I would choose her name. All to illuminate His grace.

Grace isn’t meant to be a one-time encounter at the foot of the cross. It’s to be lifetime experience, when striving to become like the One who hung on the cross. Just as she offended me, I too, have offended my Heavenly Father, yet He still lavishes His love and extravagant gifts on me. My delight in her winning was a depiction of his delight in me. He holds no bitter resentment, when He bestows a gift on His children.

Now, feeling peace from my moment of prayer, I glance back at my phone and respond that it’s a good time to talk. Like hot chocolate on this cold, winter day, her cheerful voice warms my heart. I hunch back down in my comfortable spot on the couch. We catch up a bit before she tells me the reason for her call. Her words are simple, yet profound. “I am sorry.” Her sincerity, honesty, and humility, ring loud and clear, like an old timey church bell, calling everyone to morning worship. I assure her that she wasn’t the only one at fault. I, too, have learned a few lessons.

I may be a ministry leader, but she is the one who ministers to me in this moment. All along, God gave me a picture of His grace, and now she paints a portrait of what to do when He extends that grace. Every honest word and gutsy confession is a brush stroke of raw, beautiful color. Admitting to having no grounds for her prior accusation, she now stands on holy ground, exemplifying what it means to do the right thing, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God.