It’s previously been stated:

Mercy is not receiving what you deserve; Grace is receiving what you don’t deserve. An example is creation at large. We are grateful at the resilience of the Earth to yield a harvest time after time despite its abuse and harm at the hands of humanity. But how much longer?

The kind of creativity that we experience through the Earth, is mercy unrestrained. It is in the nature of the Earth to resource and respond to some of humanity’s basic needs. Yet, often we hold back and creativity is stifled and sluggish. This is detrimental to our overall calling to be creative as the Creator is creative.

Some ways that we allow restraint or hold back from sharing in the larger work of creativity include:

# We might completely shut off ourselves from others—this could look like walking in a direction to avoid confrontation with the beggar or needy person on the street.

# We apply the brakes and hold back partially—we suspect others of their intentions and give undue consideration to the obstacles in our path to help or to serve. For example, we want to give to a certain cause, but convince ourselves that we don’t know enough about the other or whether our monies will be effectively spent, without making appropriate effort to discern and do the appropriate groundwork to either confirm or deny our inclinations.

# Withholding what good others can do—we ourselves don’t feel inclined, and in turn we try and prevent others from doing good for others. This could be to alleviate our own guilt and justify our reluctance to be generous.

Consider,

Are we open to receiving unrestrained mercy and sharing in abundant grace that transforms us to better serve the world around us?

Prayer to the Creator:

Help me to be present to my situations and surroundings;

Help me to trust in You and extend that trust to others; heal my relationships to rebuild and strengthen our capacities to trust one another;

Help me to help and encourage and support others, to help them grow in their abilities to be beautiful