--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s how we often react when grace…" description: "\"That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s awkward. God offers us something that’s too good to be true—unearned, unmerited, total forgivene..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png" --- # That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s… ![“That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s awkward. God offers us something that’s too good to be true—unearned, unmerited, total forgiveness—and we stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for the embrace to stop so we can get back to the business of earning our way into heaven…” quote by Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png) > “That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s awkward. God offers us something that’s too good to be true—unearned, unmerited, total forgiveness—and we stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for the embrace to stop so we can get back to the business of earning our way into heaven. We need to embrace grace. We need to learn how to hug back.” [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grace offers unearned forgiveness that feels uncomfortable because it challenges our sense of merit, yet embracing it leads to deeper peace. **In simple terms:** Grace is unearned forgiveness that feels awkward. Key Takeaway Learn to receive grace fully. Themes grace forgiveness humility spirituality Mood contemplative reverent Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - confession - reconciliation - personal crisis - spiritual doubt Key Concepts theology psychology self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How does accepting grace change your view of effort? - What blocks you from receiving unearned love? A Different Perspective Grace can be misinterpreted as a license for complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awkward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkward/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Earning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earning/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Embrace Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace-grace-975297/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-comes-531453/) [Grace Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-need-773921/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hug/) [Need Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-embrace-606358/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Too good to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-good-to-be-true/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [When you look in the eyes of grace, when you meet grace, when you embrace grace, when you see the nail prints in grace’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/when-you-look-in-the-eyes-of-grace-when-you-meet-grace-when-you/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [“Recently I was having a conversation with a mom who is trying to wrestle through the implications of grace in her parenting methods and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-fitzpatrick/recently-i-was-having-a-conversation-with-a-mom-who-is-trying-to/) [Elyse Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-fitzpatrick/) > [We need to embrace its existence and accept that with 42 per cent of marriages ending in divorce, and with us living longer, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/we-need-to-embrace-its-existence-and-accept-that-with-42-per-cent-of/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [“We need to embrace every day and enjoy it as much as we can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-todd-scarpulla/we-need-to-embrace-every-day-and-enjoy-it-as-much-as-we-can/) [Karen Todd Scarpulla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-todd-scarpulla/) > [We need to embrace the differences between our cultures and love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhu-zhu/we-need-to-embrace-the-differences-between-our-cultures-and-love-them/) [Zhu Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhu-zhu/) > [“We all need something to embrace, even if it’s just our own torso.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-all-need-something-to-embrace-even-if-it-s-just-our-own-torso/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Let go of the need to become and embrace the need to just be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-go-of-the-need-to-become-and-embrace-the-need-to-just-be-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes you need to fight your demons yet, sometimes you just need to embrace them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-mani/sometimes-you-need-to-fight-your-demons-yet-sometimes-you-just-need/) [A. Mani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-mani/) > [We are each of us angels with only one wing, to fly we need only embrace each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/we-are-each-of-us-angels-with-only-one-wing-to-fly-we-need-only/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [As women, we need to embrace our bodies and be confident with who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/as-women-we-need-to-embrace-our-bodies-and-be-confident-with-who-we/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [“Beyond even any teaching, though, the aspect of spiritual life that is the most profound is the element of grace. Grace is something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/beyond-even-any-teaching-though-the-aspect-of-spiritual-life-that-is/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [“I also able to graciously survive the PhD from the grace, which comes from prayer, bible reading, extensive story reading, fasting, fellowship, listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-also-able-to-graciously-survive-the-phd-from-the-grace-which-comes/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [God's grace comes in all shapes, sizes, and circumstances as God continues to unfold something magnificent in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/god-s-grace-comes-in-all-shapes-sizes-and-circumstances-as-god/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [That is the mystery of grace: it never comes too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/that-is-the-mystery-of-grace-it-never-comes-too-late/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) ## More by Judah Smith > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [“Rules are not proof of our spirituality. If anything, they are proof of our sinfulness, a reminder that we have a tendency toward wrongdoing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/rules-are-not-proof-of-our-spirituality-if-anything-they-are-proof-of/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [The common denominator is that we all need help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/the-common-denominator-is-that-we-all-need-help/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [Jesus didn’t care about the scandal. He cared about the scandalous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/jesus-didn-t-care-about-the-scandal-he-cared-about-the-scandalous/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You didnt access love, love accessed you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/you-didnt-access-love-love-accessed-you/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [A moment with Jesus changed everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/a-moment-with-jesus-changed-everything/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [The Bible is meant to be down-to-earth. It was written for real people facing real issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/the-bible-is-meant-to-be-down-to-earth-it-was-written-for-real-people/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [Grace is God-given power to live differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/grace-is-god-given-power-to-live-differently/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [But difficult situations and wrong choices conspire to trap us in hopelessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/but-difficult-situations-and-wrong-choices-conspire-to-trap-us-in/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [A father doesn't say, 'Don't go that way.' He says, 'ome follow me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/a-father-doesn-t-say-don-t-go-that-way-he-says-ome-follow-me/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [Sometimes God takes your life for some crazy twists and turns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/sometimes-god-takes-your-life-for-some-crazy-twists-and-turns/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [It is absolutely essential to have a living visible example of what a Christian ought to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-is-absolutely-essential-to-have-a-living-visible-example-of-what-a/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [I think people would be surprised to discover that their challenges and struggles are not too dissimilar to us, average ordinary people. We're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/i-think-people-would-be-surprised-to-discover-that-their-challenges/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [Sometimes we are outright rude when we interact with people. We meet a gay guy or a couple living together, and we think we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/sometimes-we-are-outright-rude-when-we-interact-with-people-we-meet-a/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [God is not in a hurry to fix us. Our behavior is not his first priority. We are his first priority. Loving us, knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/god-is-not-in-a-hurry-to-fix-us-our-behavior-is-not-his-first/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) [Explore all 55 Judah Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) ## More Awkward quotes > [“I needed to stop staring at his bicep...and chest...and tattoo. Never thought the sun could be so...sexy. Wow. This was awkward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-needed-to-stop-staring-at-his-bicep-and-chest-and-tattoo-never/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“Osborne and Roger knowing that the wife of the former was a Frenchwoman, and, conscious of each other's knowledge, felt doubly awkward; while Molly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/osborne-and-roger-knowing-that-the-wife-of-the-former-was-a/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“Having to talk to people was the one thing, but soliciting conversation was something else. If I acted squirmy or didn't make eye contact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/having-to-talk-to-people-was-the-one-thing-but-soliciting/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [That awkward moment when you stop at a red light and look over to someone staring at you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-you-stop-at-a-red-light-and-look-over-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That awkward moment when you get your period and others know before you...Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smile-so-pretty/that-awkward-moment-when-you-get-your-period-and-others-know-before/) [Smile So Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smile-so-pretty/) > [I was beautiful the day we met, But now I'm not so sure. Awkward and alone, you don't make me feel sexy anymore. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-beautiful-the-day-we-met-but-now-i-m-not-so-sure-awkward-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [“That’s some awkward prose right there. Awkward like a Redditor talking to women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-some-awkward-prose-right-there-awkward-like-a-redditor-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [It's such a weird thing, because you have a whole crew of people standing over there, on the other side. There's a camera pointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/it-s-such-a-weird-thing-because-you-have-a-whole-crew-of-people/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [A new constitution should be more amendable. A needlessly confusing system of courts should be altered to produce an arrangement that would be simple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edison/a-new-constitution-should-be-more-amendable-a-needlessly-confusing/) [Charles Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edison/) > [I don't really have loads of friends - three or four who are close. The thing that I love the most is playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-don-t-really-have-loads-of-friends-three-or-four-who-are-close-the/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [That awkward moment when you're creepin on someone through Facebook and accidentally like one of their posts...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mswazi-omarion/that-awkward-moment-when-you-re-creepin-on-someone-through-facebook/) [Mswazi Omarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mswazi-omarion/) [Browse all 1,880 Awkward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkward/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s awkward. God offers us something that’s too good to be true—unearned, unmerited, total forgiveness—and we stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for the embrace to stop so we can get back to the business of earning our way into heaven. We need to embrace grace. We need to learn how to hug back.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judah Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-comes-at-us-it-s-awkward-god/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awkward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-comes-at-us-it-s-awkward-god/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/judah-smith-12336_awkward_that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-com_2962169.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That’s how we often react when grace comes at us. It’s awkward. God offers us something that’s too good to…” — Judah Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Judah Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That’s how we often react when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-comes-at-us-it-s-awkward-god/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/that-s-how-we-often-react-when-grace-comes-at-us-it-s-awkward-god/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```