Friday, December 14, 2012

Forgiveness is Freedom

Please forgive me for,

raising my voice.

reacting in anger.

making you feel NEVER good enough.

controlling your every interaction.

putting my "worry" on you.

expecting you to "arrive".

making it about me.


I am praying that these reactions turn into,

A gentle answer.

A kind and patient response.

The assurance that although we can't do anything to earn God's favor, he Loves, Protects, and Forgives us in spite of ourselves.

Letting you make mistakes and be hurt and trust that you will always know, I am a safe place to come to in those times.

"Trusting in the Lord with all my heart. . ."

Remembering we are all a work in progress.  A slow, painful, and beautiful progress.

Making it about God's glory and purpose in your life, my life, our lives.


Remember this, 

God in His great mercy does not leave us to our own end.  He is always teaching, stripping us down, and building us back up.  Sometimes the lessons come easily.  Sometimes we aren't surprised by the road he takes us down.  But sometimes the lessons turn your world upside down, throwing you around like the waves of the angry ocean.  You see clearly how deep you are in the ocean of yourself, drowning in your sin.  In these times, it will be easy to feel hopeless, dead.  But we do have a hope.  A hope that comes, not our ourselves or anything we can do, but all from the sacrifice of Jesus, our Savior.

Here is our truth,
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came in to the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.  To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the ONLY God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen."  

1 Timothy 1: 15-17