Forgivness, why is it so hard?? Do we even see when it is needed? Why is it hardest with the people we are closest with?
First of all we need to know the sin before we can give or receive this forgiveness. It took me years to ask forgiveness from one of my best friends. I just didn't realize that it was eating at my heart pulling us farther away. It also was not allowing me to know Christ's full forgiveness. I couldn't see the full effect of what Christ had done for me until I humbled myself to ask forgiveness towards the person I wronged even if they don't feel wronged.
Even now all the good days of our friendship going flying through my mind than it stops like my memories hit a wall. As I took out the anger for my sisters death on my friend I got so mad that we grew apart to then point we didn't talk for months. I had hurt the one that was there through everything as I watched my sister slowly go down hill. The one that said that they would be my friend no matter what. I watch the reel of our friendship of three years fly past until the point of anger on the reel of memories slows down until they fade like the friendship did. It only took me 10 years to realize what I did and why but I am so thankful for the fact it was only 10 years. Now God has washed the memory of that moment of anger out of my mind. I know I did something but exactly what I can't recall. Things will never go back to the way it was in ninth grade as our lives have changed and that's all in Gods hands too. One thing I know is just how good it felt to know that forgiveness was given and a friendship was restored. I am not great at forgiveness and most of the time I don't see my actions as sins. I look at it as OK because it was not murder but God does not rank the sins instead he washes them clean daily. Though my friend in this story would not consider themself as an image of Christ I look back and see them as a great reminder to me what a friendship I have in Christ. I pray that as you look at who Christ is you will find a friend that is there even when you thought the friendship was beyond repair.
King James Bible Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
FEAR, FEAR, FEAR does it makes us who we are?
If you think of it we as humans act out of fear more than confidence!
In the Bible every person that God used said at one point that they were not good enough. Moses spoke of his bad speech, Jeremiah said he was too young no one would listen, and in the New Testament Mary was young, Elizabeth thought she was too old, Paul was a murderer and God also used Paul to tell Timothy that he was not to young to preach the gospel. Others too argued with God for one reason or another on why they didn't feel they should do what he wants them to do. Why than do we feel it is any different with us?
Do we call ourselves better than Moses because he was a murderer? God used him to bring the Israelite people to freedom. I know that I have sinned more times than I can count on most days and God says sin is sin no matter how big or small. This brings me FEAR but it says in Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." God provides grace and forgiveness for those who walk in a relationship with him. I have had to work hard on praying for people that I really didn't feel should be able to have Gods grace and forgiveness for the wrong that they have done but if God can't forgive them I have no right asking him to forgive me. I look at the little things that we have all done like the white lies or the not forgiving the person that hurt us as a child by calling us names on the playground. I have watched a lot of people work through forgiving the darkest of dark things that have happened to them but yet we continue on letting our little unforgiven hurts eat away at us. We all react different out of fear! Many will hide at home and become depressed and. Others will show fear in a way that no one thinks of fear as, these are those of us that show fear through being bold and voicing our opinions to make others think we are stronger than we are.
What is God calling you to do and are you not doing it out of FEAR and EXCUSES?? In every person in the Bible God called to do something he also said I will be there with you I will give you the words you need to spread the truth.
The challenge I have for us today is to seek what God has been calling you to do by praying and asking him to show you it clearly. Than search the Bible to make sure it fully lines up with his plan. If you are not sure where to look the book of Acts and other of Paul's letters is a good place to make sure you are in line with how God wants us to act as Christians.
In the Bible every person that God used said at one point that they were not good enough. Moses spoke of his bad speech, Jeremiah said he was too young no one would listen, and in the New Testament Mary was young, Elizabeth thought she was too old, Paul was a murderer and God also used Paul to tell Timothy that he was not to young to preach the gospel. Others too argued with God for one reason or another on why they didn't feel they should do what he wants them to do. Why than do we feel it is any different with us?
Do we call ourselves better than Moses because he was a murderer? God used him to bring the Israelite people to freedom. I know that I have sinned more times than I can count on most days and God says sin is sin no matter how big or small. This brings me FEAR but it says in Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." God provides grace and forgiveness for those who walk in a relationship with him. I have had to work hard on praying for people that I really didn't feel should be able to have Gods grace and forgiveness for the wrong that they have done but if God can't forgive them I have no right asking him to forgive me. I look at the little things that we have all done like the white lies or the not forgiving the person that hurt us as a child by calling us names on the playground. I have watched a lot of people work through forgiving the darkest of dark things that have happened to them but yet we continue on letting our little unforgiven hurts eat away at us. We all react different out of fear! Many will hide at home and become depressed and. Others will show fear in a way that no one thinks of fear as, these are those of us that show fear through being bold and voicing our opinions to make others think we are stronger than we are. What is God calling you to do and are you not doing it out of FEAR and EXCUSES?? In every person in the Bible God called to do something he also said I will be there with you I will give you the words you need to spread the truth.
The challenge I have for us today is to seek what God has been calling you to do by praying and asking him to show you it clearly. Than search the Bible to make sure it fully lines up with his plan. If you are not sure where to look the book of Acts and other of Paul's letters is a good place to make sure you are in line with how God wants us to act as Christians.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)