Supposedly, it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. While the saying has been around for quite some time, the numbers used to prove the conclusion vary with each story. In spite of the discrepancies, the basic premise is certainly true: it's more relaxing and pleasant to smile than to frown. Yet life's dilemmas, downturns, and tragedies make it difficult to keep a smile on my face continuously. A restless night of sleep, a berating by the boss, or a child not satisfied with my parenting methods can prevent a smile from appearing on my face. Nor do I want my smile to be manufactured as the ones plastered on models' faces often are. When I smile, I want it to reflect that I have an honest reason to smile.

Because of God's grace, I can make my grace face the regular expression others see.

Colossians 2:13 – You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. (NLT)

Grace is God's unmerited favour. I don't deserve it, nor does anyone else. Worse still, I can't do anything to place God under obligation to me. Being good enough to receive His grace is utterly impossible. He merely dishes it out because of His mercy.

On Calvary, Christ died for sins, but not His. He became sin for me. My sin on Him is what forced God the Father to momentarily turn away from Him. That's also why I can put on the grace face. In Christ, I'm totally forgiven of all my sins — past, present, and future. Worry flees because I'm no longer under God's condemnation, nor will I ever be. Focusing on who I am now, rather than who I once was or what I once did, brings the smile. God's grace makes living with joy in the present and future possible. Total forgiveness is mine.

Are you wearing a grace face? If not, you can. Simply accept God's forgiveness, and allow Christ's resurrection power to flow in and through you.

Prayer: Thank You, merciful Lord and Saviour, for dying for our sins, making it possible for us to put on the grace face. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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