Often times, we think of forgiveness as an option for us to offer to another person in order to reconcile the relationship and allow for healing. This is true in most cases. But, like Jesus, we can offer forgiveness to those that have harmed us, in an effort to produce our own freedom.
There have been a few times in my life that I have been trapped by the lack of forgiveness of others for a situation or circumstance I have apologized for. In a certain circumstance, I have apologized only to be told that my apology was not sincere. Therefore, my motive was decided and the apology was not accepted. In another circumstance, I have apologized, and rather than being reconciled to that person, the person has just chosen to cease talking to me and turn their back to our friendship. Each of these situations are not models of Jesus' kingdom in heaven. Each of these situations do not embody the spirit of forgiveness. For a long time, I believed the lie that I got the punishment I deserved. But, today, I have realized that true forgiveness means, the sin is wiped clean and payment has been accepted.
Today, as I was watching the movie, Invictus, I realized that I have a choice, a very distinct choice. I can let the unforgiveness of others reign over me and cause me to seek revenge, or I can look towards Jesus and see his compassion, kindness, and peace cover me and set me free. I write today to encourage you to seek freedom if you too find yourself in similar circumstances. Unfortunately, some choose to harbor unforgiveness for things you may have apologized for and even sought restitution. However, that is the way of the world, not the way of Jesus. If there is some person or persons in your life that will not let you forget what you have done to them, let Jesus' forgiveness come make a home in your heart today. Surely, he is the only way to true freedom. Surely, he is the only way for you to turn to them and offer love and kindness. I trust in him and I believe that he has washed clean my slate and even if someone chooses to re-write it on the wall again and again...it is erased from the memory of the one who matters most...Jesus.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Do I REALLY love you?
This weekend I attended a church conference hosted by the organization of churches that I attend. Every year this conference brings anticipation of what will be taught, heard, and prayed about. This year I went expecting to learn great things. And, I did.
The greatest take away for me had to do simply with an honest question asked to me by God. In our prayer time, I felt as though God was asking me if I really loved him. Exploring this with God in prayer was challenging. What I realized through this exploration was that I hadn't been loving God the way he deserves to be loved. The kind of love that God deserves is much bigger than the love I have been giving him. So often, I find myself missing out on the loving relationship that God intends us to have. I surely talk to God throughout the day,but I often miss out on what he is saying back to me. This weekend I feel that I learned that the relationship God desires to have with me is greater than all of the current relationships that I find myself in. He intends that I talk to him and listen to him with such an earnest heart so that our relationship is rock solid never fading and never changing.
So, I bring forth the question to you. Do you REALLY love God? Do you trust him with EVERYTHING? Do you believe that he can change you for his benefit? If not, that's ok...because he will reel you in, just like he did to me today. Our relationship with God can remain like a long distance one, only telephoning when something comes up. Or it can be the most intimate one on one relationship we have ever experienced. It's really up to us, because he is there...always...waiting.
The greatest take away for me had to do simply with an honest question asked to me by God. In our prayer time, I felt as though God was asking me if I really loved him. Exploring this with God in prayer was challenging. What I realized through this exploration was that I hadn't been loving God the way he deserves to be loved. The kind of love that God deserves is much bigger than the love I have been giving him. So often, I find myself missing out on the loving relationship that God intends us to have. I surely talk to God throughout the day,but I often miss out on what he is saying back to me. This weekend I feel that I learned that the relationship God desires to have with me is greater than all of the current relationships that I find myself in. He intends that I talk to him and listen to him with such an earnest heart so that our relationship is rock solid never fading and never changing.
So, I bring forth the question to you. Do you REALLY love God? Do you trust him with EVERYTHING? Do you believe that he can change you for his benefit? If not, that's ok...because he will reel you in, just like he did to me today. Our relationship with God can remain like a long distance one, only telephoning when something comes up. Or it can be the most intimate one on one relationship we have ever experienced. It's really up to us, because he is there...always...waiting.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
How's the Weather?
Hey There!
How have you been? Enjoying the heat? Ha! Well, I sure the heck am. Isn't it funny how much harder things seem to become in the heat. It's like taking a step is twice as hard as it is when its a balmy 70 degrees! It got me thinking... how little it takes for circumstances to muck up my life. I am a stickler for things being in order. This includes a lot of areas of my life. But, when one little thing is out of place, I feel like the world is crashing down. However, this weather has been teaching me a lot. There is so much that a little heat can disrupt. It can disrupt your hair, your clothes, your breathing, your running, etc. You get the idea. What I have been thinking is...hmm..maybe this weather is telling me something...SLOW DOWN! How often I find myself buzzing around when its really not necessary. I feel like I have been learning how to take a step back, slow down, appreciate what I'm experiencing and love life. What a treasure it is when we learn to see our circumstances as oppourtunities instead of disruption! So, bring on the heat wave...I can handle it!
How have you been? Enjoying the heat? Ha! Well, I sure the heck am. Isn't it funny how much harder things seem to become in the heat. It's like taking a step is twice as hard as it is when its a balmy 70 degrees! It got me thinking... how little it takes for circumstances to muck up my life. I am a stickler for things being in order. This includes a lot of areas of my life. But, when one little thing is out of place, I feel like the world is crashing down. However, this weather has been teaching me a lot. There is so much that a little heat can disrupt. It can disrupt your hair, your clothes, your breathing, your running, etc. You get the idea. What I have been thinking is...hmm..maybe this weather is telling me something...SLOW DOWN! How often I find myself buzzing around when its really not necessary. I feel like I have been learning how to take a step back, slow down, appreciate what I'm experiencing and love life. What a treasure it is when we learn to see our circumstances as oppourtunities instead of disruption! So, bring on the heat wave...I can handle it!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Citizens of Heaven
What does it mean to be a citizen? When we look this term up in the dictionary we find it to mean:
"A native or naturalized individual who owes allegiance to the government and is entitled to the enjoyment of governmental protection and to the exercise of civil rights."
In Ephesians 2:19, the New American Standard Bible states,
"You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household."
I am sure if you are Bible believing Christian you have read and heard this verse many times. I am sure if you are not a believing Christian you may be asking yourself, "how can I be a citizen of a nation I cannot see?" I have often stumble on these questions myself. And, today is not an exception. However, when I read this today, I had some amazing clarity that I believe God wants me to share with you!
Because we are US citizens, we have privileges that allow us many things. I do not want to give you a history lesson but, I do want to show you some of our rights as citizens of the US. As a US citizen, Amendment V of the US Constitution allows us the presence of a Grand Jury when we are charged with a crime. Several individuals must decide we are punishable for a crime rather than the arresting officer deciding we committed the offense and thereby placing us in prison for his desired sentence. Amendment VII of the US Constitution protects us against excessive bail requirements and cruel and unusual punishment being subjected to us if in prison. And finally, Amendment XIV of the US Constitution ensures us that as deemed a US citizen no state or party can take away our privileges of life, freedom, and property without the process of the law.
I chose these three Amendments of the Constitution in particular to contrast with our privileges in heaven. How blessed are we that if we are accused of a crime a jury is carefully selected and chose to determine our fate?! Thankfully, because we are citizens of heaven our privilege is that Jesus has wiped away every offense or offenses that we intend to commit. There is no jury or committee in heaven, and here on earth, which decides our punishment. Jesus suffered the punishment with his death on the cross. We are no longer in a state of balance waiting to hear the verdict. We are never charged guilty.
Luckily if we were charged with a crime here in the US, no one person could subject us to punishment that is cruel and unjust. There is no flogging. There is no water boarding. Although there are many stories about how violently intense prison can be, an officer of the US cannot hurt us without being punished by the law. As a citizen of heaven, we have freedom from punishment. When people on earth try and enforce punishment on you, Jesus says no way Jose! We do not deserve to be punished for any sin no matter the weight or gravity, because Jesus abolished all kinds of punishment, just and unjust. That also means as citizens of heaven we do not enforce our punishment on anyone else. That one is harder to celebrate...I know.
Finally, as a US citizen, no one person or group of persons can take away our life or freedom without being charged by the government. The US government protects our rights and allows us to receive recompense when it is taken from us. As true in heaven, we belong to God and he protects our life and our freedom guaranteed to us through the life of Jesus. No one person or group of persons can take these privileges away from us. Just like no one can take our citizenship to the US away, no one can take away the fact that we belong to Jesus. The main difference between citizenship to the US and citizenship to heaven is that in the US we could easily do something that would separate us from this privilege. However, in heaven we are granted entrance both here on earth, and in our final day simply because Jesus died for all.
What a joy it is to belong to heaven. Being a citizen of the US affords us many things, but these things are not even comparable to that of heaven. We must not forget that we have these privileges right here and now not just when we go to heaven. God is alive and active and willing to provide us with life and freedom today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives!
"A native or naturalized individual who owes allegiance to the government and is entitled to the enjoyment of governmental protection and to the exercise of civil rights."
In Ephesians 2:19, the New American Standard Bible states,
"You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household."
I am sure if you are Bible believing Christian you have read and heard this verse many times. I am sure if you are not a believing Christian you may be asking yourself, "how can I be a citizen of a nation I cannot see?" I have often stumble on these questions myself. And, today is not an exception. However, when I read this today, I had some amazing clarity that I believe God wants me to share with you!
Because we are US citizens, we have privileges that allow us many things. I do not want to give you a history lesson but, I do want to show you some of our rights as citizens of the US. As a US citizen, Amendment V of the US Constitution allows us the presence of a Grand Jury when we are charged with a crime. Several individuals must decide we are punishable for a crime rather than the arresting officer deciding we committed the offense and thereby placing us in prison for his desired sentence. Amendment VII of the US Constitution protects us against excessive bail requirements and cruel and unusual punishment being subjected to us if in prison. And finally, Amendment XIV of the US Constitution ensures us that as deemed a US citizen no state or party can take away our privileges of life, freedom, and property without the process of the law.
I chose these three Amendments of the Constitution in particular to contrast with our privileges in heaven. How blessed are we that if we are accused of a crime a jury is carefully selected and chose to determine our fate?! Thankfully, because we are citizens of heaven our privilege is that Jesus has wiped away every offense or offenses that we intend to commit. There is no jury or committee in heaven, and here on earth, which decides our punishment. Jesus suffered the punishment with his death on the cross. We are no longer in a state of balance waiting to hear the verdict. We are never charged guilty.
Luckily if we were charged with a crime here in the US, no one person could subject us to punishment that is cruel and unjust. There is no flogging. There is no water boarding. Although there are many stories about how violently intense prison can be, an officer of the US cannot hurt us without being punished by the law. As a citizen of heaven, we have freedom from punishment. When people on earth try and enforce punishment on you, Jesus says no way Jose! We do not deserve to be punished for any sin no matter the weight or gravity, because Jesus abolished all kinds of punishment, just and unjust. That also means as citizens of heaven we do not enforce our punishment on anyone else. That one is harder to celebrate...I know.
Finally, as a US citizen, no one person or group of persons can take away our life or freedom without being charged by the government. The US government protects our rights and allows us to receive recompense when it is taken from us. As true in heaven, we belong to God and he protects our life and our freedom guaranteed to us through the life of Jesus. No one person or group of persons can take these privileges away from us. Just like no one can take our citizenship to the US away, no one can take away the fact that we belong to Jesus. The main difference between citizenship to the US and citizenship to heaven is that in the US we could easily do something that would separate us from this privilege. However, in heaven we are granted entrance both here on earth, and in our final day simply because Jesus died for all.
What a joy it is to belong to heaven. Being a citizen of the US affords us many things, but these things are not even comparable to that of heaven. We must not forget that we have these privileges right here and now not just when we go to heaven. God is alive and active and willing to provide us with life and freedom today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Let go and Let God..for Real!
Today was one of those lesson learning days. Ever wake up thinking, "hmm, this really isn't going to be my day." Well, that's how mine started. It might have something to do with the fact that Chris and I have been on vacation since last Friday and today was my return to work. Also, it might have something to do with the fact that we stayed up late last night, still thinking we were on vacation, leaving me exhausted to start my 7:30am day. Whatever the case may be, we woke up, and like most people that are off to work, we stopped at Starbucks. As I still remained in my sleep coma, I ordered a coffee, a tall (small) coffee black. The young girl at the desk then proceeded to ask me if I wanted something to eat. Now for two reasons I did not hear her: one: I was distracted by the other two people working with her chatting loudly and two: I was in a complete daze. Now, I know many of you have this happen to you. However, she asked me 2 times if I wanted something to eat, and both times I did not hear her. Finally, she shouted at me. Now, this threw me me a loop. I was being shouted at in Starbucks for a very silly reason. I was very upset by this. Yet, to someone else, this picture could look very different. Someone could see that she could have thought I was being rude because I did not answer her the first two times she asked me. Someone else may see nothing wrong with the situation declaring both parties not guilty. However, I found myself immediately declaring this young girl deserving of punishment for her behavior.
Often, I am too quick to judge the behavior of someone else. Shouting at someone can be a justifiable thing. In her defense, I did not answer her two times. I know when I am trying to get my point across and someone isn't chiming in, I will say what I intend more clearly and with a different tone. Also, if someone is starving and in danger of not getting enough to each, I may shout, "Do you want something to eat?" Ok...maybe that is a stretch :)
Yet, the lesson learned today is not who was in the right, but rather how to handle these situations with love and clarity. No matter what the intension of her words, I still had the choice to let it bother me or to respond with peace towards her and in my heart. I never can know the motives behind the behavior of the people that I work with, encounter at Starbucks, or meet on the streets. I need to let God judge peoples' hearts rather than throwing down the gavel at them. Today's experience reminded me that no matter how rude a person may appear to me, I still need to let it go. I cannot control other people. I can only trust that God will mend my heart and touch the hearts of people around me to make us more like him.
Yes, I am a sensitive soul. I am thankful that I am aware of these offensive things that happen in my heart. How precious to know that God is changing me to be more like him when faced with these situations. I'm encouraged that my understanding of these situations will help me to be more loving in the future.
So, if the Starbucks' girl yells at you, don't judge her, rather think, "Just another opportunity to let go, and let God!" haha craziest expression ever but really true!
Often, I am too quick to judge the behavior of someone else. Shouting at someone can be a justifiable thing. In her defense, I did not answer her two times. I know when I am trying to get my point across and someone isn't chiming in, I will say what I intend more clearly and with a different tone. Also, if someone is starving and in danger of not getting enough to each, I may shout, "Do you want something to eat?" Ok...maybe that is a stretch :)
Yet, the lesson learned today is not who was in the right, but rather how to handle these situations with love and clarity. No matter what the intension of her words, I still had the choice to let it bother me or to respond with peace towards her and in my heart. I never can know the motives behind the behavior of the people that I work with, encounter at Starbucks, or meet on the streets. I need to let God judge peoples' hearts rather than throwing down the gavel at them. Today's experience reminded me that no matter how rude a person may appear to me, I still need to let it go. I cannot control other people. I can only trust that God will mend my heart and touch the hearts of people around me to make us more like him.
Yes, I am a sensitive soul. I am thankful that I am aware of these offensive things that happen in my heart. How precious to know that God is changing me to be more like him when faced with these situations. I'm encouraged that my understanding of these situations will help me to be more loving in the future.
So, if the Starbucks' girl yells at you, don't judge her, rather think, "Just another opportunity to let go, and let God!" haha craziest expression ever but really true!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Working Woman
It seems that when I am on vacation I start to think about why I need to work full time. Does it make me lazy to contemplate a life without timeclocks? When I stumble into these thoughts, I try to remember the woman described in Proverbs. She was the all things to all people kind of woman. She worked, took care of her family, was crafty, even handled family fiances. All the while her husband was being respected in the city. This woman is the one I want to be. Sure, I could use more rest. Sure, I could use more time. But, what I really need to focus on is putting my pants on in the morning, worship God, and work for my family. Too often we put the burden on men to work for the family. But, the woman described in Proverbs is the worker. She is the one in the grit of the business of the day, while her husband gains favor in the community. I pray that God would help me to be this kind of woman with drive, passion, business savy, and with fear of the Lord.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Setting Goals
Today, I was realizing that I am like the queen of goal setting. Now, this is not something to brag about. Rather, goal setting actually be a hinderance to the enjoyment of life! I had to go for a 13 mile run today. At this point, Chris would say, "you had to?? Was someone holding you at gunpoint while you ran?" No, although, I thought about thinking that in order to make me run faster...;) But, basically, I needed to run today, because this weekend I will be in Florida, and as exciting as 13 miles in the humid sauna that is my father's home, I didn't think that would be the best idea. Anyway, I set a goal for the time I wanted to finish my run today 1:40 minutes. Now, when you run 13 miles in 1:40 minutes, there is very little time to notice the way the sky is changing color, or the way the wind is blowing softly over the water. No, when you run 13 miles in 1:40 minutes, you are thinking, man a hot shower would be nice right now! There is little time to enjoy the experience.
This attitude often carries over into my life. I am so set on a goal at times, I miss out on all the in between stuff that is going on around me. I tend to be so goal focused that when something is out of the ordinary plan, I become a frazzled little mess...or as they call it...a hot mess! Today's run really challenged me to think outside my goals. Sure, its fun to have goals, to be a driven person. But, I don't want to miss out on the blessings that are in front of me. I need to slow down, look around, and be thankful for what's around me. So, I say thanks to God that I am a goal oriented person. It has helped me get to so many awesome places and experience really amazing things. But, there are times, I have to step away from my goals, and take a deep breath to see what's right in front of me.
This attitude often carries over into my life. I am so set on a goal at times, I miss out on all the in between stuff that is going on around me. I tend to be so goal focused that when something is out of the ordinary plan, I become a frazzled little mess...or as they call it...a hot mess! Today's run really challenged me to think outside my goals. Sure, its fun to have goals, to be a driven person. But, I don't want to miss out on the blessings that are in front of me. I need to slow down, look around, and be thankful for what's around me. So, I say thanks to God that I am a goal oriented person. It has helped me get to so many awesome places and experience really amazing things. But, there are times, I have to step away from my goals, and take a deep breath to see what's right in front of me.
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