But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
I just watched the movie Respect starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin. The movie is filled with talented actors and singers, and it leaves the audience in awe of the situations and obstacles that Aretha Franklin endured. And like so many of us, she was raised in the church and as an adult, she lost her way. It was the one line from her mentor that struck me and revealed an entire underlying theme of the movie: grace.
In the midst of her darkest moments, Ms. Franklin returned and sought comfort from the church. The albatross that weighed her down was blamed on the demons that she had lived with all of her life. Her mentor said, “There are no demons haunting you. You have not dealt with the pain.” He was referring to hurts from childhood, the death of a parent, an abusive marriage, and family drama. The mentor’s line left me thinking about how many times we declare that we can’t get over a hurdle, overcome obstacles, or repent from sin because of the demons in our lives. Are we plagued by demons or are we in denial about the hurt of the past that we have yet to confront?
Confronting any type of hurt is difficult. Perhaps we think that if we openly speak of these hurts, we will be seen as weak or less than. Even though we maintain that we have handled the hurt, our actions sometimes reflect our subconsciousness. We will run, misplace blame, deny, and lie if it keeps others from knowing. It’s amazing how many of us hurt, but we never share with another person. This is the burden that we carry that becomes the demon that we wear. How long before we hit rock bottom and come to the divide in the road where we must make a choice? Do we continue to mask hurt through destructive living or do we accept and believe that God’s grace is enough for us to overcome?
Although the audience may be entranced by the music in Respect, Ms. Franklin’s life represents the idea that one can go home again. She did not return to her family home, but to God’s house where she was welcomed with open arms, particularly by her father. Much like the prodigal son, Matthew 18:13, 20 says “…the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country… his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” What allowed the prodigal son and Ms. Franklin to return home is simple: grace. Isn’t it great to know that despite past hurts and mistakes, we can still return home to a father with outstretched arms?
One of the gospel hymns that have made Aretha Franklin’s work legendary is “Amazing Grace.”
This verse says it all:
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
T’was Grace that brought me safe thus far
And Grace will lead me home
And Grace will lead me home
We don’t have to carry the hurt because it damages us, and we carry unnecessary baggage for a lifetime when all we have to do is confront the hurt and accept the open arms of God the Father who extends infinite grace to us. Yes, Grace will lead us home.
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