Lessons learned on forgiveness

We all have experienced wrongs done to us.  Many of those wrongs we cling on to in anger, hating those who did us in.

This past Halloween, a friend of mine had experienced a wrong done to him by his mother-in-law.  She told him that he didn't treat his daughter like his sons, that he favored them.  He confided in me and was quite angry by it.  He also told me that his daughter wasn't interested in the same things as his sons, but he tried his best.  I asked him what his daughter's interests were and for the next five minutes his face lit up as he told me all about it.

I told him what I observed.  He was astonished that he was quite proud of his daughter.  He would do anything for her.

I also told him to forgive his mother-in-law.  He couldn't do it.  But, as Thanksgiving loomed closer and closer, he forgave her and invited the in-laws for Thanksgiving at their house.

During by college years at Bemidji State University, I was involved in the InterVarsity campus ministry.  This was where I was first exposed to a wider audience of Christianity--I grew up in a small town and was confirmed in a small Lutheran church.  During my second year with InterVarsity, I was ignored at most of the meetings (with the exception of our small group Bible studies) and I wasn't the only one who felt this way.  I held on to this anger for many, many years.  I knew it wasn't God doing this.  It was the people running it.  This past fall, I forgave them.  I no longer held any animosity toward them.  I prayed for their ignorance, prayed no one else would ever feel that way, and I also prayed for God to train them to better their ways.

Whom do you need to forgive?  My long list of people stretches far beyond InterVarsity and I'm doing my best to find as many of those as possible.

Forgive those who wrong you.  It's amazing what a peaceful spirit can be felt inside you if you do.

Lessons learned on judgement

In John 8:7, Jesus told those who accused a woman of adultery, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the one to cast the first stone at her."

And, of course, you know the rest of the story.  The accusers turned and walked away, and Jesus told the woman to sin no more.  Also, I find it ironic that only the woman was accused of adultery.  Where was the man?  He should've stood right next to her.

Judgement is a broad, sweeping term.  Whenever you put yourself upon a pedestal while criticizing others, you are judging.  And who gives you the right to do so?  Put yourself in the other person's shoes for once, see life through their eyes.

We all do it.  But in certain ways, I've criticized and judged others on acts that I could've very easily done.  In fact--I'm going to be very vague, as I have already confessed these acts to God and it is all between me and the Lord--there were acts I had performed when I was much, much younger that I am not proud of.  For whatever reason, I stopped before they could get worse.  I started to cross a threshold that I'm thankful to the Lord that I never kept crossing.

I pray daily for God to help me in my quest to keep my judging to a minimum.  To eliminate it would be the best, but I am a sinner and it would be impossible.  But I do my best.

And that is the best I can ask for.  Doing my best.  Not trying your best.  But doing.

Lessons from 2019

Merry Christmas on this most Holy days of Holy!

Although I have learned many lessons this year, two are by far the most prevalent: judgement and forgiveness.

For me, I've felt like the first half of 2019 was a lesson in judgement--to be more specific, passing judgement.  The second half has been on forgiveness.

I will discuss both in greater detail in the next two posts, but today just wanted to lay the groundwork for it.

Love Jesus!

He is Risen!

What does a messenger of God look like?

Messengers who spread God's Word come in so many varieties, it is difficult at times to fathom it.  Also, these messengers are not all ordained by an organization of higher learning, with a piece of paper hanging on the wall as proof.

I'm sure we've all heard the stories of someone who walked on the wild side, only to have God present Himself and they turned their lives around.

These various messengers may also have different ways of preaching the same message of God, albeit in a way that matters to one audience versus another.  Maybe the teachings in a Catholic church are more to your liking or it could be the upbeat tempo of a non-traditional/non-denominational setting.  Or maybe one teacher of Christ on TV speaks more to you than another.

God sets each and every one of us on a path of our own.

Also, do not criticize one messenger for their unique message just because it doesn't hold with your own beliefs.  Pray and open yourself to God, to see the message and way He wants to use you.

Way of the Wise

The word wise is sprinkled throughout Proverbs 16.  And if wise isn't specifically spelled out, it is inherently implied.

The first verse tells us that although we make our own plans, the Lord gives us the right answer.  Wisdom, my friend.  Plain and simple.

We as sinful and imperfect humans may take action that we may think are wise, but only through our complete trust in the Lord will His Wisdom be bestowed upon us.

Like all chapters in Proverbs, one could write a post for each and every verse alone--each one packs quite a punch of pure Godly Wisdom.  Verse 20 states that "those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful."  We must listen to what God tells us through frequent prayer, from decisions large and small.

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:26 - "It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on."  This is the purest formula for success, to be hungry (either literally or figuratively) and to use that hunger to work harder, to provide for your family and those who are unable to do so.

A real-life Game of Thrones

When I read from the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 21, I could not help but think of Game of Thrones--both the book series and HBO show.

Jehoshaphat had died and his eldest son Jehoram had become king.  Throughout his short eight-year reign, he killed all of his brothers, many of the leaders in Judah, set up false idols throughout the land, married one of King Ahab's daughters, and was downright evil in God's eyes.

But the Lord's Covenant remained and He promised not to completely destroy Jehoram.  Instead, the prophet Elijah wrote Jehoram a letter, proclaiming that he was not a good example of his ancestors, who were great in the Lord's eyes.  He also stated that the Lord would strike his people, including his family, with a heavy blow.  Jehoram would also suffer from a severe intestinal disease, which would become painfully worse each day until his bowels would burst out.

The palace was then stormed by his enemies and only his youngest son was spared.  Upon Jehoram's slow and painful death, his people did not honor him with a funeral pyre and no one shed a tear.  He was not buried with his ancestors.