Pulled Into Letting Go

Monday, October 31, 2022

RESENT & BE BITTER

Do you find it hard to be nice to people? I do. I find it hard to trust that what people are saying is true, as well. Even when faced with facts, I still tend to look for the cracks in whatever statement folks make. I've been lied to so much that it's almost second nature to discount every word most folks say. Is that God-honoring? No, it's not. It's something I'm continually in need of working on.

There's a group of women at my son's preschool who talk amongst themselves at pickup and drop-off. They seem to be friends, or at least know each other from somewhere else. From day one, it's made me very jealous. I'm new to this town and don't know many people. Despite my repeated attempts to locate a friend group, I've been largely unsuccessful. Sure, there are a lot of folks with whom I'm friendly and talk weekly, especially at church, but I've not found anyone yet with whom I can regularly discuss life events or attend events with. It's sad and lonely and I've allowed this fact to make me bitter, instead of better.

God knows my heart. He knows yours, too. He knows all the struggles we have had, are having, and will ever have and He has spoken about them at great length. There is a message within scripture for every situation, and every season we will go through in life.

See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; - Hebrews 12:15 (AMP)

This piece of scripture has caused me so much grief over the last few months. It's like a lance in a boil. It's annoying and painful, but purposeful. If I remove the lance, I'll fester up and become septic, allowing the infection to spread to other areas. But if I allow the lance to drain the infection - the bitterness within me so that Jesus can clean my heart and make it new, I will be healed. Is this a gross description of sin? Yes. As well it should be. Sin is disgusting and it only harms us from the inside out. We have to drain it. Remove it. Extract it. Expose it to the Light.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. -James 5:16 (BSB)

So often, we want to try to hide away the parts of ourselves that are not pretty or pleasing to others. Like Adam and Eve, we try to strategically place fig leaves to hide our nakedness from God and from each other. God has already made it clear that He's not mad at us. He understands our sins and He wants us to come to Him so that we can receive His love and in that glow of His love and mercy, make new and better choices. When we sin, we hurt ourselves and we separate ourselves from God's love. That's not what is best for us and God knows that. That's why He sent Jesus to not only atone for our sins but to assure us that we are deeply, profoundly, and eternally loved.

When we accept the fact that God loves us and wants the absolute best for us, then we are able to open our eyes to even more truth and opportunity for growth. Consider the words in Mark 10:15 "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Why do you think God said that? What do children do that adults tend not to do? When you let the answer to those questions resonate within your heart for a while and really ruminate on them, you'll begin to recognize the changes you need to make in your own life. I know that I'm personally going to sit with these big feelings and ruminate on that today as well.

Stay tuned for another episode. I aim to crank out the blog posts three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.

Friday, October 28, 2022

THE MOST PRECIOUS JEWEL

In every treasure chest, there is one key jewel that everyone looks for. It is more valuable than all the rest. In many tales of treasure lost and found, it is a specific piece or set of pieces that will unlock a secret that's long been waiting to be exposed. Sometimes the jewel is a shiny emerald or diamond, whose value is indeterminable, yet will allow for the purchase of freedom from slavery of some sort. In Christianity, our treasure is in Heaven. His name is Jesus.

Jesus is the most important, most valuable treasure in all the universe. He transcends time and space, there is no earthly value to be placed upon His head (though Judas Iscariot tried and failed, with a mere 30 pieces of silver). Knowing Jesus frees us from all slavery here on earth. Our hearts no longer belong to an earthly master, but to a good, pure, loving, merciful, all-knowing Creator - God.

There is absolutely nothing on this earth that can break us eternally, aside from shutting out God and denying His gift of Salvation. That choice lies entirely upon us, though. We can be presented with the Gospel many times and it is always up to us as to whether or not we answer the call to Salvation. As annoying as the song is, Paula Cole's "I Don't Want to Wait" is a good reminder to come to Salvation now. The hook goes like this: I don't want to wait for our lives to be over. I want to know right now. What will it be?"

Judgment day is too late. You have to make the choice now, while you're still alive and there is time left to enjoy the gift of His Salvation. The world is hurting. You're hurting. I'm hurting. We're all in some sort of pain. We're all searching for something, but the world does not possess the answer. I've looked for it in the bottom of a bottle of vodka, tequila, beer, wine, bourbon...you name it. It wasn't there. I've looked for it in the eyes of my children, my husband, and unnamed "lovers"...it wasn't there. It wasn't in a bottle of pills, in chasing a thrill, or even in an inspirational book, like One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It wasn't until I heard and understood the joy of the name Jesus that I found it. I found freedom, healing, comfort, companionship, joy, peace, and Salvation.

We won't live forever. Our children won't live forever. There will come a day when we'll take our last breath and our souls will leave this earth forever. It's our choice, not God's, as to where we're headed next. We can spend eternity in Heaven with Him, or in Hell without Him. There is no escape from either. In Heaven, we'll have no desire to be anywhere else. In Hell, we'll beg and plead, but there is no way out - just eternal suffering, worse than anything we've experienced here on earth.

One of the saddest comments I've ever heard someone make is that "Only God can judge me". This is usually said while someone is unapologetically amid sin, in the midst of heartbreak, and searching for some sort of meaning in their lives, in all the wrong places. A downward spiral is already in effect, yet they are completely oblivious to this fact. Christians may attempt to step in and help. Some are probably effective at chipping away at the outer layer, but most will attempt, in a callous, arrogant way to "help" by pointing out all the ways in which the person is at fault for their own downfall. What they fail to recognize is that at the heart of the matter is a very broken, traumatized individual who is crying out for love and acceptance in the only way they know how. Will we choose to respond as Jesus would? Or will we be like the Pharisee or the tax collector in Luke 18:10-14 (NABRE)

“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God does not use self-righteous men and women to change the world for the better. Look at history. Who does God use? He chose David, the smallest and youngest boy in the family to be the greatest earthly, human king the world has ever known. God chose Gideon, a scared fool to fight the Midianites. Moses, who stumbled in his speech was called to speak to Pharaoh to free the Israelites from slavery. God chose you, broken-hearted child, to make a difference in your own community. Your own family. Your own neighborhood. Your own household. He's giving you the strength right now to stand up for Him. To uncover the most precious jewel you'll ever possess - Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. -1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT)

You're absolutely right. You don't have the skills right at this moment to do all the things God is asking you to do. But you will. If you step out in faith, God will meet you exactly where you are and He will provide all that you need to do all that He is asking you to do. Will you heed the call? And will you help others to find the most precious jewel, or will you keep it a secret all to yourself? Something this amazing was never meant to be hidden away but to be shared with all people everywhere.