Sometimes, acting out of love is easy. This is when God showers us with an abundance of grace. The grace fills us so much that it overflows into every interaction. Everyone who breathes the air we breathe experiences that grace on some level.

Other times, nothing is smooth. We have trouble getting out of bed. We have trouble making our bed. We have trouble being charitable to our coworkers. We have trouble being motivated at work. We have trouble giving a smile, even if we know a friend really needs it.

I have always heard that God gives us these difficult times so that we don’t think the strength is from ourselves, His Pride-Prevention-Program. And I know we need it!

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Mark 12:41-44

I believe there is another way to see it, however. The story of the widow’s offering shows us that Jesus delights when we give out of our poverty. And we, too, understand that delight. To see someone poor sacrifice is better than to see the wealthy. It moves us and inspires us.

So God allows us, sometimes, to be poor in grace. Why? So we can give, even at those times of poverty. We learn how difficult it is; we see how poor we are. He has provided us this opportunity to delight Him. We can love, even in those times.

At the end of our days, we will regret those times He gave us an opportunity to delight Him, and we turned it down. Saints and angels are praying for us, hoping we don’t miss those chances. Because the world will rejoice in those little moments of grace even more than in the times we’re swimming in it.