Episode Transcript
[00:00:13] Hello, friends, and welcome to Imagine the Possibilities. I'm Skip Pogue, and I'm glad you're here listening to this podcast today.
[00:00:21] The title of this episode is Grace Wins Every Time.
[00:00:28] The title comes from a song that I've listened to a lot, but a few weeks ago, as I was listening to it, the words really got to me.
[00:00:38] You know how that happens sometimes? You're listening to a song you've listened to a hundred times and you hear it the same way, and then all of a sudden you listen to it again and it really does get into your heart and soul. And that's kind of the way it hit me.
[00:00:54] Grace is a really interesting thing in that we all need it, and we need it many times in our lives, but it revolves. It has to do with second chances, but we don't always deserve second chances. But even when you don't deserve it, grace shows up.
[00:01:10] As we start today's episode, I want to take a moment and talk about the differences between kindness and grace.
[00:01:18] A lot of times we use those words interchangeably, and while they're both great words and hold a lot of meaning in them, grace tends to go one step further. Kindness is holding the door open. Grace is holding the door open for someone who just slammed it in your face.
[00:01:36] One is a gift of goodness, the other, grace is a gift of love. Despite the pain, kindness reflects on how we treat others. Grace reflects on how we choose to be, even when it's hard.
[00:01:52] So let's ask ourselves, what is grace? In our everyday life, grace is that unexpected kindness, that moment of compassion when someone could have reacted with judgment but doesn't.
[00:02:06] It's the extra patience that sometimes shows up.
[00:02:09] It's a gentler tone.
[00:02:12] It's the willingness to let go of our need to be right.
[00:02:19] Spiritually, grace is often seen as unearned favor. It's love we can't earn and we don't have to.
[00:02:28] It reminds us that we're seen, accepted, and loved, even in our most unlovable moments.
[00:02:35] No matter how you define it, grace has the power to change everything.
[00:02:41] Today we're going to take a look at grace in the three big areas of our lives. Our personal life, our professional life, and our spiritual life. Along the way, I'm going to try to share a few stories, maybe ask you some questions, and hopefully give you something to carry into the rest of your week and beyond.
[00:03:00] Let's start with this. Have you ever received grace when you least expect it?
[00:03:06] Let's start out with talking about grace in our personal lives you know, it's funny how we often show more patience to strangers than we do to the people we're closest to.
[00:03:19] Maybe it's because we feel safe letting our guard down at home. But that's also where grace is generally needed the most. Grace in our personal relationships mean not keeping score.
[00:03:31] It means choosing understanding over blame.
[00:03:35] And that's especially true when someone we love falls short.
[00:03:39] It's giving someone the benefit of the doubt, even when we feel hurt.
[00:03:44] It's seeing past mistakes and remembering the heart behind the person.
[00:03:50] And let's be honest, they'll fall short, just like we will.
[00:03:55] I remember a time I forgot an anniversary. It wasn't my anniversary, but it was my best friend and his wife's anniversary. I didn't intentionally forget it. I was just busy. Life was hectic at that time. I was working, deadlines were looming, and it just slipped my mind when I realized what I'd done. I'd run into them in town, and I expected them to be maybe angry and at the very least, disappointed. But instead, I was met with something else. Compassion. They both looked at me and almost simultaneously said, it's okay. I know you didn't forget on purpose. That moment taught me something powerful. Grace in action doesn't excuse our mistake, but it doesn't let that mistake define the moment.
[00:04:42] Grace in our personal lives also means knowing when to apologize. We're oftentimes not real good at apologizing. We don't think we need to. But sometimes apologizing is the most graceful thing we can do. It's not always easy to say I'm sorry. But in most cases, necessary.
[00:05:02] Receiving grace from someone close to us can be incredibly healing. It kind of softens us up. It helps us believe we're not just loved. When everything's right, we're loved even when we mess up.
[00:05:14] Here's something to reflect on. Who in your life might need your grace today? And what grace do you need on your own? What would it look like to let go of a grudge or give someone the benefit of the doubt? Just think about that.
[00:05:30] Now let's talk about grace in our professional lives, in our workplace. Most workplace cultures offer rewards for performance and not patient. We're taught to measure outcomes, chase deadlines, and avoid failure at all costs. But grace, Grace says, I see the effort, I see the intention. And sometimes that's exactly what someone needs to hear.
[00:05:55] I once worked for a leader who not only knew, but understood the power of grace. A colleague of mine had made a big mistake, one that had cost the department, money and time. But Bob, instead of shaming them in front of the team or even writing them up, just pulled them aside and said, we all mess up. What matters is what you do next. That moment didn't just save that person's job. It built trust, loyalty, and confidence in that person. And that's what grace can do in professional spaces.
[00:06:31] Here are just a few examples of what giving grace at work might look like.
[00:06:37] Extending a deadline for someone who's overwhelmed.
[00:06:41] Offering constructive feedback instead of criticism.
[00:06:45] Choosing not to gossip or pile on when someone's struggling.
[00:06:50] Giving someone room to learn instead of punishing them.
[00:06:55] Each of those are things we can freely give. We can freely give grace to anyone that we realize is struggling now. Receiving grace at work is just as important as giving grace at work. I mean, if I thought just about myself, maybe I'm the one who made the mistake. Or maybe I'm the one that's behind. Can I accept help without being ashamed?
[00:07:21] Can I forgive myself and keep going?
[00:07:24] The answer to all that is yes. We should be able to do that. You have to think about it. Grace wins every time.
[00:07:33] The fact is, when grace shows up in the workplace, it builds healthier teams, more resilient leadership. And it builds an environment where we can all feel safe to grow, not just be expected to perform.
[00:07:48] Just think about this. Who at work could benefit from your grace right now? Or are you the one who needs grace?
[00:07:58] Is there a place that you could shift from critiquing someone to simply being compassionate?
[00:08:05] Finally, let's talk about grace in our spiritual lives.
[00:08:09] For many of us, grace is the center of our faith. In the Christian tradition, grace is the idea that we're loved, forgiven, and accepted, not because we've earned it, but because that's who God is. It's not a transaction, it's a gift. And it doesn't wait for us to be perfect.
[00:08:28] Even if you don't align with a specific faith, grace is something we all need. It's the invitation to let go of shame. It's the space to heal. It's the freedom to begin again.
[00:08:41] There was a time in life where I wrestled with doubt. I questioned whether I was doing enough, being enough, living up to what I believed I was supposed to be. But in that quiet struggle, I didn't feel condemned. I felt peace. I realized that grace wasn't waiting for me to get it right. It was already there. It was offering me a space to breathe, to reflect, and to move forward.
[00:09:05] Spiritual grace can come through prayer, meditation, a walk in nature, or the quiet assurance that we're not alone. It meets us in silence, not as a spectacle.
[00:09:17] It reminds us that we are more than our performance, our past, or our pain.
[00:09:23] We're not our worst mistake. We're more than our hardest day. We're not disqualified.
[00:09:31] How about this? Are you allowing yourself to receive the grace already being offered to you? What would it mean to stop striving and start resting in that truth?
[00:09:41] Here's what I hope that you can take away from today. Grace isn't just a word. It isn't just a spiritual idea. It's a way of living. It's a life changing practice in our home, in our work, and in our hearts.
[00:09:56] This week, I want to offer you these three challenges.
[00:09:59] The first one, extend grace to at least one person, even if they don't deserve it.
[00:10:06] The second one, offer grace to yourself, especially in the area where you've been the hardest on yourself.
[00:10:14] And the third one is let grace win. Because I truly believe that grace wins every time.
[00:10:24] Before I completely close, I would like you to understand how much it means to me for you to listen to my podcast. It's one of those things. I've talked about it before, but I just want to help people. I just want to make life easier for people. And that's why I started the podcast and that's why I'm keeping the podcast going.
[00:10:45] As always, I wish you much success.
[00:10:50] Remember that your future belongs to you.
[00:10:53] Stay humble, be kind, love unconditionally, and laugh often.
[00:10:59] I hope that you have a super day and I pray that God blesses you in a super way.
[00:11:06] Thanks again and God bless Sam.
