Category: Hurting

Beloved and Blessed

​Oh, I am Beloved!

  “Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not My people, I will now call My people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.” (Hosea 2:23) And, “Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not My people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the Living GOD.’” (Hosea 1:10) ” – Romans 9:25‭-‬26 NLT 

Do you consider yourself God’s Beloved? 

Sometimes I am just a little envious of the Jews, the Israelites. I mean, GOD chose them to be His people! Why the Israelites? And where did the split from being just “people” to being Israelites and Gentiles happen, exactly?

 Adam and Eve were the first humans, and as such are the founders of the human race. “This is the written account of the descendants of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself. He created them male and female, and he blessed them and called them “human.” ” – Genesis 5:1‭-‬2 NLT 

For generations, people were called by their tribe, which came from the founder of each tribe, such as the tribe, or sons, of Seth, and the tribe, or sons, of Enoch. Then came Noah and his family. Did you know that Noah was 500 years old before his 3 sons were born? Or that the Flood began when he was 600 years old? Perhaps we should be reconsidering how we treat our seniors……

  “From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth.” … “These are the clans that descended from Noah’s sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.” – Genesis 9:19; 10:32 NLT

Can we please stop arguing about “race” now…. we are all the same!! God created a rainbow of colors in us, just as He did with animals and plants. Look for beauty instead of ugliness. Sometimes we put so much emphasis on the ugly that we even forget there ever was beauty. There are, unfortunately, people who thrive on the ugly – and that is exactly what the enemy wants to happen. By getting our attention off of God and onto Satan, it is easier to subvert our good intentions. Rather, we can show the world of our love for Jesus through the gifts of the Spirit.

  “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” – Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NLT 

Be a positive influence today. If you are broken, it is so that God’s Light can show more brightly through the cracks! Never be ashamed of your brokenness. God doesn’t need perfect people, He needs us, the broken. 


( All scriptures quoted are from http://bible.com/NLT )

Fall, Falling, Fallen

🍃 Interesting word, Fall. It can be both a noun and a verb; a thing, or an action. “I love Fall”; “I will fall if I stand there.”

We use it to define the third season as the earth prepares for winter. Leaves fall from trees, creating an inviting cushion to walk on and play in. Seeds fall from plants to lie fallow on the ground until the time of renewal, and grains and fruits and nuts ripen to feed all manner of creatures. The sun moves lower in the sky and the nights grow longer as the earth rests before its renewal in the Spring. 🍁

In scripture, we read that Lucifer, whom God called  and the angels who rebel against God “fall” from heaven. “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.” – Isaiah 14:12 NLT (http://bible.com/116/isa.14.12.NLT)

Adam and Eve fell from God’s Grace when they sinned in the Garden. Because of their action, all humanity is banned from the garden and have fallen into sin. No matter how hard we try to be “good”, we constantly fall because of our imperfect nature. Because of their action, all of the earth has fallen from the perfection God created. 

  “But You, O LORD, are a Shield around me; You are my Glory, the One Who holds my head high.” – Psalms 3:3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/psa.3.3.NLT)

By ourselves; through our “goodness,” We are nothing. It is only through God by way of Jesus Christ that we are anything. “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw His Majestic Splendor with our own eyes when He received Honor and Glory from GOD the Father. The Voice from the Majestic Glory of GOD said to Him, “This is my dearly loved Son, Who brings Me great joy.”  We ourselves heard that Voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,  or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” – 2 Peter 1:16‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2pe.1.16-21.NLT) 

Whether you choose to stay among the fallen star, satan, or stand up with Jesus, the Morning Star, is up to you. God gave us free will to make our choice. Have you made yours? It’s not too late! 

  “GOD raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now He {Jesus} is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s Right Hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today…. Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to GOD, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts of the Apostles 2:32‭-‬33‭, ‬38 NLT (http://bible.com/116/act.2.32-38.NLT)

Trust

​  “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible Joy. The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:8‭-‬9 NLT (http://bible.com/116/1pe.1.8-9.NLT)

Some people envy the disciples of Jesus; the men who got to spend time walking and talking with him. They could reach out and touch his shoulder or his hand, and He looked them in the eyes when He taught them. Remember His encounter with Thomas after Jesus rose from the tomb?

  “Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me.” ” – John 20:27‭-‬29 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.20.27-29.NLT)

Because we believe without having seen Jesus in the flesh, we are especially blessed. Peter was right in his letter – we are blessed with an indescribable Joy through believing in Jesus, the Son of God, and that He conquered death and hell so that we could spend eternity with Him.

Do you believe in Him, trust Him? Is He right about sin and death and the Great White Throne Judgment, or are you willing to bet He’s wrong? I don’t just believe, I know it’s true. Not only did God created the universe (His ‘big bang!’), but He, as the triumvirate God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – sent His Son to serve us. That’s mind-boggling. Here’s what the Apostle John wrote about the ultimate judgment: 

  “And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:11‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.20.11-15.NLT)  

There really isn’t anything difficult here. So I will ask again. Do you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Do you trust and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and that He came to earth to conquer death for you?

Start reading in the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 1. It’s not difficult to read. Think about it; do the right thing. In John 14:6-7 Jesus answered Thomas by saying, “I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” – John 14:6‭-‬7 BOOKS (http://bible.com/31/jhn.14.6-7.BOOKS)

The time for debate is over. It is time to decide to believe. 

 

Fall

It’s nice to live in an area where we (usually) have 4 seasons. I love Spring, with budding trees and flowers popping up new everywhere; baby animals bounding about, and the new smell of overturned earth as gardens and fields are prepared for planting. My favorite holiday of the year is Easter, because we get to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made in order to save us from ourselves and from eternal damnation.

 I love Summer, too. I love to soak up the heat on a lazy afternoon when the smell of freshly cut grass abounds and the birds are singing and in the background, the sounds of kids playing outside; pool parties and cookouts, vactions to the lake or the ocean or the mountains. Celebrating the birth of our country and the freedoms we enjoy as Americans on the 4th of July. I love fireworks displays and parades; festivals and fairs. 

I have a love/ hate relationship with Winter. I adore Christmas and celebrating the birth of our Savior. I love snow and winter activities….. but I really don’t like being cold. I love being snuggled in soft blankets with a crackling fire, spiping a hot drink….. but I really don’t like being cold. The feeling of the brisk, fresh winter air on my cheeks is so invigorating, and the thrill of skiing down a hillside is hard to describe….. but I really don’t like being cold! Can you tell that Winter is a dilemma for me???

Fall – change is in the air. There is a riot of colors and textures as the flowers and grasses and trees seem to explode with late season fruits and seed pods to prepare for winter. There is a flurry of activity in the animal kingdom as they gather food and fortify themselves for the coming winter. The light changes in a subtle but distinct way, softer and more diffuse than the glare of summer. The winds begin to blow more from the north, bringing cooler temperatures and inviting us outside to enjoy the changes.

Fall has been my favorite time of the year for as long as I can remember. Why is it my favorite? The most obvious reason is that my birthday is in the Fall! Thanksgiving, too. It is such a joy to be able to gather with friends and family and to give thanks for who we have in our lives. There were years in my life that I wasn’t thankful for my family, or for the countless times God has stepped in and protected me from serious harm – even death. Of course, being human, I continued to put myself in harms ways, and was hurt physically and emotionally because of my actions. But that story is for another day. 

November is a great month to write a gratitude list. Add one thing to it each day. Not everyone has a family to be thankful for – I know how blessed I am to have one – but everyone has someone and something to be grateful for. Being a gratitude list can be difficult when you are in a bad place. I know, because I’ve been there. A friend made an excellent point once as we were discussing gratitude and some of our group were having difficulty thinking of anything to be grateful for. Even little things make our lives better. She said “We can always be thankful for toilet paper!” Yes, we laughed, but the point was well taken. Start with the seemingly little things …. it might be that they are really big things! 

  “Submit to GOD, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Listen to His instructions, and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored – so clean up your life. If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, the Almighty Himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver!” – Job 22:21‭-‬25 NLT (http://bible.com/116/job.22.21-25.NLT)

Love God and love life. Anticipate heaven and live in preparation for eternity.


40 Long Years…

Think about this statement:

  “Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir.” – Deuteronomy 1:2 NLT

God told the people of Israel that He was giving them a land “overflowing with milk and honey.” All they had to do was walk there (an 11 day journey) and it was theirs. Oh, but that was too easy for them, and they kept sinning and questioning the LORD. 

  “The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? – Exodus 16:28 NLT

God gave them consequences for all of their complaining and rebellion, by leaving them in the wilderness for 40 years instead of the much shorter journey of a couple of weeks. Does that ring true for you? How many years have you been wandering,  afraid to occupy the “land” God has given you?

  “Forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the LORD had commanded him to say. Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’  – Deuteronomy 1:2‭-‬3‭, ‬21 NLT

I wasn‘t just afraid, I was petrified. I just knew that by being faithful to Him, I would miss out on something. I was convinced (by the enemy) I could be in control of my life. I certainly didn’t need some unseen man controlling my life. I repeat myself, but… how did that work out for me?? Not well. Really not well!

 Had I continued my life following Christ, I would have missed out on all of the “fun” I was having to cover up how miserable I was. I might have missed out on the misery! Control? The one who had control wasn’t me. It was never me. And if you are currently deluding yourself and thinking that you are in control of your life, well, all I can do is shake my head at your fantasy. I am compelled to disillusion you of the notion of you being in control. There is the Almighty God, Omnipotent and Omnipresent, and there is the enemy, the fallen angel (Lucifer, a.k.a. Satan) who corrupted Adam and Eve and gained control of this world through them and their descendants. We are their descendants. Every human to ever walk this earth is connected to them through both physical and spiritual DNA.

I missed out on a lot. I missed out on a fulfilling relationship with my Lord Jesus, and I missed out on years of connecting with my family. I missed out on having a successful wife and mother, and I missed out on a close relationship with my parents. Why do we do that?? But there’s good news about all of this!

Jesus doesn’t hold what we have done or been against us. Murder, lust, gluttony, envy, lying, violence, even the most evil and depraved among us are welcome at Jesus’ feet. He doesn’t care what color we are (I’m kind of a pinkish-tan), He doesn’t care if we come in designer clothes or rags, or if we are driving a Rolls or crawling to Him barefoot and destitute. It doesn’t matter to Him if you are 5 or 105, as long as we seek Him and accept Him as our LORD.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ” 

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” – John 3:5‭-‬7‭, ‬18 NLT

What more is there to say? Believe it! 

(All scriptures are taken from the New Living Translation found at http://bible.com) 
 

“Don’t be afraid. I am here!”

​  “…. but He called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” ” – John 6:20 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.20.NLT)

Seems like we go through our entire lives being afraid. Afraid of change. I don’t think most people will admit to being afraid of change;  most – in my experience – will only say they don’t like change. To me, it just seems a convenient way to deny fear. There are people who embrace change. Being spontaneous and being adventurous. I like spontaneity, myself, and when I was younger, did a number of rather adventurous  (well, we wouldn’t want to call them reckless, now!) things…. and in several cases, I believe it was through the intervention of guarding angels that I didn’t die or end up seriously injured. For the most part, I don’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone anymore…. just don’t dare me!!

How does all of this relate to John 6:20?

In the instance that John is recording, the disciples had found themselves in a rather dangerous predicament. I wonder, though, were they more frightened by the storm, or by the appearance of Jesus? It seems almost as if they just got tired of waiting for him, and left without Him. How many times do we do that in our own lives? We know in our hearts that we need to wait for Jesus, but we grow impatient and take off on our own. I’ve done it countless times. Then, when we find ourselves in a predicament, we cry and call for help…. and then we are surprised when Jesus shows up!

  “That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here! ”  Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!” – John 6:16‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.16-21.NLT)

Wouldn’t it be much easier to wait on Him in the first place? Undoubtedly, but then, we are human and stubborn. After all, what 2 or 3 year old doesn‘t cry “No! I do it!”?? (Don’t bother to deny it – or that most of us take it on into our teen years and adulthood!) After all, how do we learn? Okay, how do most of us learn? In my family, we run the gamut from the ones who took the hard roads to a couple who recognized that letting Jesus be Lord was the way to go early on. At times I wish I would’ve taken the less difficult roads, but then I wouldn’t be who I am today (I’m just glad to be here today!!) I love verse 20: “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” 

Even though I turned away from from family and what I knew was right, there was always – always– this little voice in the back of my head whispering whenever I did something that I knew was wrong. I tried really hard to shut it up and to run from it, but nothing worked. It was still there, no matter what I tried. Even switching continents didn’t work. Ugh! It took a pretty good whack on the heart for me to really get it. Everyone’s bottom is different, and some people have to hit theirs more than once. Some people, lots of people, stay on the bottom because it is what they know. Even though it’s incredibly painful for them, it’s also comfortable because it’s what they know.

Fear. Fear of change. It keeps so many of us stuck in bad, ugly, painful circumstances. Change could make it worse, and at least being stuck we at least know what to expect. With change, we could be getting into something worse. I’ve had conversations with people who don’t understand. Why doesn’t she just leave the abusive man? How can he live in such squalor? Because change is hard. It’s scary, and it is painful. It’s all we can relate to. Do you embrace change in your job? Are you happy at the prospect of change in your life? We can look forward to something,  but there’s always something fear mixed in, even if the changes is good. When we realize that Jesus is here; when we finally know that He is right here with us, and we accept His Presence, we eliminate so much fear. There will always be that little bit of fear in change, because as long as we live in a broken world we can never be entirely sure it will be better. There is one change that we can wholeheartedly claim and know without a doubt that it will be good… actually, it will be beyond any good that we can imagine,  and that is the change we experience when we meet Jesus face to face. 

That’s one change I look forward to with NO fear!

Will We EVER Learn?

​  “And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I will disown them and destroy them with a plague….” ” – Numbers 14:11‭-‬12a NLT (http://bible.com/116/num.14.11-12.NLT)

Will we EVER learn? 

I was fortunate to have been born in the United States of America, into a family with God-fearing parents who took me to church and taught me about the Almighty, loving God. I learned from them about how much God loves me, and I learned manners and respect…. And once I left their home to be an adult, I treated them AND God with contempt and disrespect. Like God punished the Israelites by sending them into the wilderness to wander for 40 years, I wandered in my own personal wilderness for years, looking for love, not realizing  (or accepting) that I had walked away from the greatest Love of all. The love of a parent is almost indescribable, and the Love that God has for us is impossible for me to explain. I know this: God loves me. He loves you. GOD LOVES us! It took me years to find my way back to Him, but I am so grateful that I did. The enemy provides us so many avenues away from God, yet God stays with us, no matter how far or however many twisty paths we take. He is right there, waiting for us to take His outstretched hand so that He can lead us back to the right path; HIS path. I still forget and drop His hand sometimes, thinking I can handle it and can stay on His path on my own. Every single time I do that, I wander off His path and wind up on the enemy’s path. Silly humans; do we ever learn?

Billy Graham says it so well: “Man has an inborn hunger for God. He cannot be satisfied with ANYTHING less than God. GOD ALONE can supply the bread which satisfies the inner longing of your soul and the hunger of your heart. . . . The Bible says that He is the Bread of Life. Lord Jesus, thank You for satisfying the yearnings deep down in my heart. Your presence fulfills the needs of my soul, and I rejoice.” 
Nothing on earth will fill that longing, because nothing on earth is capable of filling it….

Jesus said:  “I AM the Living Bread that came down from heaven. ANYONE who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is My flesh.” – John 6:51 (http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.51.NLT)

Will we EVER learn?

Called to Grace and Peace 

​  “Through Christ, GOD has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what GOD has done for them, so that they will believe and obey Him, bringing glory to His Name. 

  And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by GOD and are called to be His Own holy people. 

  May GOD our FATHER and the Lord Jesus Christ give you Grace and Peace.” – Romans 1:5‭-‬7 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rom.1.5-7.NLT)

These words were written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome. The church probably consisted of a very diverse crowd, from senator to slave, from wealthy to poor, of Jew and Gentile. Paul was an expert on Jewish law, and he often spoke directly to his people, the Jews, because they were the ones Jesus chose to be the leaders of His church on earth. Paul recognized that because the Jews had been responsible for Jesus being sentenced to die, and because of their persecution of His followers, they needed to be the ones who showed the world the Messiah story. When we submit to Jesus Christ and His authority, we received a measure of peace unlike anything we have ever known. Love so AMAZING it cannot be described in words, and many many people have tried. The first step is submission, and that is so stinkin’ hard for us stubborn, hardheaded humans! Imagine how hard it must have been to the Jewish leaders to accept such a radical change. They had to believe that this man of the common people was their promised Messiah and their King. He was born in a barn, for goodness sake…. a barn for the birthplace of their Messiah? A common man, not a scholar or a Jewish teacher of the law. 

Can you imagine? Would we, as Americans, accept a 30-ish homeless man to be our leader? I think not.

And yet, it was the truth that the disciples of Jesus were preaching to the world. It was the truth, and Paul literally had his eyes opened to it. Paul went from hunting down and persecuting, and even killing, followers of Christ to being a believer overnight. Submitted to Jesus, Paul took on the gigantic task of teaching the Gospel to the known world… how committed, and how submitted, are you? I was a Christian for many years before I submitted myself to Him, and the difference is amazing. “Called to Grace and Peace” barely scratches the surface. Besides those, when completely submitted you recognize the blessings around you so much easier. Little irritations become just that – little. Big irritations become much smaller, and often lose their ability to irritate at all. That’s the Peace we received from submitting to Jesus. Grace becomes easier to give to those who wrong us, because we have received His Grace in our own lives.

Simple? Extremely. Difficult? Extremely. Is it WELL with your soul?

  1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
    When sorrows like sea billows roll;
    Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
    It is well, it is well with my soul.

    • Refrain:
      It is well with my soul,
      It is well, it is well with my soul.
  2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
    Let this blest assurance control,
    That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
    And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
  3. My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
    My sin, not in part but the whole,
    Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
    Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
  4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
    If Jordan above me shall roll,
    No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
    Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
  5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
    The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
    Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
    Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
  6. And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
    The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
    The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
    Even so, it is well with my soul. 
  7. (By Horatio G. Spafford, 1873 – and still perfect for today!)

Revenge

That’s a word I used to live for. You did me wrong, I would figure out a way to get you back. Getting even. There’s an intrinsic problem with this point of view. Took me years to understand this. You do something that hurts me. Physically or emotionally, or both. I retaliate and hurt you. You, or someone close to you, retaliated back …. and the cycle gets caught up into itself and becomes self-perpetuating. The lesson I needed to learn was that revenge was not for me to seek out. 

  “Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “I will take revenge on my enemies and pay back my foes! I will raise my fist against you. I will melt you down and skim off your slag. I will remove all your impurities. ….Zion will be restored by justice; those who repent will be revived by righteousness.” – Isaiah 1:24‭-‬25‭, ‬27 NLT (http://bible.com/116/isa.1.24-27.NLT)

It’s a difficult thing to do, that letting go of the desire for revenge. Instead of spending our time and our energy go after those who hurt us – and if we face reality, we know that every human we interact with has the ability to hurt us. If we know them for longer than a few minutes, in all probability they will hurt us in some way. Most of the time, it’s probably not intentional, it’s just human nature. Our job is not revenge. Our job is forgiveness. 

Um, excuse me. What?? Not possible, you say? Let me confuse you a little more. Jesus shared His wisdom with us. “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.” – Matthew 5:6 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.5.6.NLT) Now He’s tell me to “hunger and thirst for justice….” 

We have to look at the distinction between between revenge and justice. Revenge is all about me. It’s about my satisfaction, and nothing to do with God and His Righteousness. Justice is found in consequences for our actions, with the results of the actions being looked at through impartial eyes. Since the Lord is the only one who can truly be impartial, that takes the punishment out of our hands and destroys our desire for revenge. We, as Christians, are tasked to forgive as Christ Jesus forgave us. On my own it is impossible. I absolutely have to rest in His arms and let go of the hatred and bitterness and anger. That leaves Him free to seek justice for me from the Father. 

“But you don’t understand! My situation is different from anyone else’s! The hurt and damage done to me is unforgivable!”

Those words fall from almost everyone’s mouth when they begin the journey to forgiveness and healing. As a sponsor and group leader in a recovery group for women, I heard it from all of my ‘girls’. I said it myself when I began my journey. Your situation may be unique, but your circumstance and your feelings are not. If that’s too brutal for you right now, I’m not trying to hurt you any more than you already are. To heal, though, we not only have to hear the truth, we have to accept it and embrace it. When a wound is deep and infected, it has to be opened up and cleaned. It’s a painful process! If you just cover it up and ignore it, it was fester and fill with infection and stink. You aren’t hiding anything from God, and you probably aren’t hiding it from people around you, either. Like I said, wounds stink when unattended!

Look up. Look outside of yourself. See what God is doing. See the possibilities of what He can do. The only thing holding me back is me, and the only thing holding you back is you. Be thankful. Write a gratitude list – it’s a powerful thing to do! If you honestly can’t think of anything to write, do as my friend says. You can always be thankful for toilet paper, and you should always be thankful for God’s Mercy.