Forgiveness is not...
- conditional, that real forgivenesss is unconditional
- minimizing the seriousness of the offense
- resuming a relationship without changes
- forgetting what happened
- my right when I wasn't the one who was hurt
But Genuine forgiveness is...
- relinquishing my right to get even (Romans 12:19)
- responding to evil with good, (Luke 6:27-28)
- repeating that as long as necessary (Matt. 18:21-22) We have to chose to love until the pain stops. Because love is a CHOICE
- **remembering how much you've been forgiven (Col. 3:13, Eph. 4:32, Col. 2:13-14)**
How beautiful is the forgiveness of our Lord, that He would nail His son to the cross for each and everyone of our sins...past, present, future! Amazing!
Another challenge... I have began to read the book "Ordering Your Private World" by Gordon MacDonald. MAC continues to encourage me and equip me through resources that continue to convict, challenge and inspire me beyond belief! Thanks MAC for being such an encourager! Your friendship blesses me! So I began this morning with no electric and I have to say a lot of frustration (Sorry Greg) from the fact that I had so much to get done around the house (laundry, dishes etc, etc, etc) and no electricity to do them with (I was allowing the outer world affect my private world, which this book talks about) and I have to thank God for that blessing, because without electric I was allowed to sit down, reflect on God's Word and the notes from this weekend and to start reading this book. THANK YOU GOD! I am now on Chapter 3 and have already been able to reflect on past obstacles in my life that left me broken & bruised yet built my strength, humbled me and lead me to totally rely on God in my life and for the direction and path He has lead and is leading me on .
In Chapter one of this book Gordon quoted a paragraph from a book by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles, the famous aviator and let me tell you what, it was as if I were the one writing this, it is a longing I myself have and strive for. So here it is....
I want first of all...to be at peace with myself. I want a singleness of eye, a purity of intention, a central core to my life that will enable me to carry out these obligations and activities as well as I can. I want, in fact - to borrow from the language of the saints - to live "in grace" as much of the time as possible. I am not using this term in a strictly theological sense. By grace I mean an inner harmony, essentially spiritual, which can be translated into outward harmony. I am seeking perhaps what Socrates asked for in the prayer from the Phaedrus when he said, "May the outward and inward man be one." I would like to achieve a state of inner spiritual grace from which I could function and give as I was meant to in the eye of God."
I couldn't have said that better myself!
My prayer today is that I would allow God total reign in my private world, that I would love and forgive unconditionally and be at total peace with the woman God has made me to be. And that His grace would continue to strengthen me as I get intentional with "ordering my private world" so I am at total peace within and my outward and inward woman would be made one through Him!
