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Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past."

Forgiveness means different things to different people. For me I am always learning more and more about forgiveness and what it means to me and my growth.

We all need forgiveness. Whether it's to forgive others or to be forgiven. I have found when I think I have forgiven someone a situation arises to test me.

The Bible also talks about forgiveness.

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." --Colossians 3:13

I think there are also great examples of forgiveness we can follow. Not only did Jesus forgive everyone that wronged him, he commanded us to forgive one another.

Forgiveness is needed on so many levels of our lives. Whether it's with your spouse, parents, siblings, children or even co-workers.

You can have so much more peace in your life when you learn how to forgive others. Afterall, what good does it do for you for holding onto all those feelings that are preventing you from forgiving that person?

Are you a stronger person??

Most of us, especially if we feel hurt, want to move on from those feelings. Forgiveness is the quickest, easiest and long lasting way to enjoy life again.

Another thing forgiveness does is it helps us grow. Sometimes we have to experience the same lesson more than once. No one is excused from experiencing hurt and in turn forgiveness.

For me, forgiveness has been both easy and hard. It's been very easy to forgive certain people yet so hard with a couple of people. I thought I had forgiven these difficult people yet I had this horrible pride preventing me from loving them. I felt they didn't deserve my forgiveness. I felt so hurt by their actions that I created a wall that prevented me from truly forgiving them and loving them for the way they are. I know God created each one of us and gave us beautiful talents. Yet the thought of one of these people made me so mad. I wanted these people to be something they were not.

At one point I even acknowledged my unrealistic expectations but was still expecting them to be someone different.

My pride kept me from forgiving them and embracing the gifts God has given them. When I heard of things they were doing my pride made me angry at people praising them. In my mind they needed to be punished.

I had been praying for a few months about my stubbornness and my pride. Hoping God would soften my heart so I could love them and love life. This one quote kept appearing. Thats when I knew God was up to something. He sometimes has to put things in front of my face a few times before I get it. This is what I read:

"When you refuse to love people because they're hard to love, you forget the fact that God always loves you, even though you're not always easy to love."

When I read that I really was so full of peace. It was like a burden had been lifted. I know I'm stubborn and not the easiest to love so this made perfect sense to me.

No one is the same you have to learn forgiveness in a way that brings you peace and fills you with love. Once you learn how to forgive one person it helps you with other challenges in life.

"Our only security is our ability to change."

2013: What Are You Waiting For?

So here we are the first day of 2013 and many people are thinking about new years resolutions.  As you think about your wishes for this year we also need to ask ourselves are we really being proactive in our actions.  If these actions are about change what are we doing to make these changes in our lives?  Are we just hoping to get a better job or lose more weight this year or are we making plans to see these changes take place in our lives?

We all have big dreams for our lives but if we do not make strides towards these dreams we will not see them come to pass.

If healing is your dream this year God can heal you but He also will ask you to be a doer.  We see an example of this in John 5 as Jesus heals a man at the pool.  Jesus gives the man instructions:
"Then Jesus said to him, "Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked." (John 5:8-9)

How long are we waiting for our miracle or our dream to happen without remembering we must have faith that our gracious Heavenly Father will provide for us.  We must have blind faith as this man learned and sometimes God will call us to walk before we are able to.  God loves His children who attempt to walk even though they can only manage to stumble.

So it is now 2013 and maybe some things did not work out in 2012 but that is okay.  What are you going to do this year to get closer to your dreams?  I have a friend who is way beyond being over qualified for her current job.  Her dream is to have her own business using the degree she has and she is in agony because she is not there.  She cannot imagine doing anything else because she knows it is a job God designed her for.  It is her plan A so to speak.  If you are doing anything but plan A what is holding you back?

We know God is our intelligent creator so are you trusting Him with your life to fulfill your plan A?  Also, what are you doing to get closer to living out your plan A?  Some times we have to take baby steps before we are living out our dream but we must be willing to keep moving our feet if we are trusting God with our lives.

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance.  And he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go." (Hebrews 11:8)