My Walk Monday

Everyday I am working on obedience and forgiveness. I am a very rebellious - very broken person on the inside. I am surprised I have not fallen apart thus far because of all the damage in my heart, but I know God is cleaning up shop in there :).

I ran past something this week that really made me think and right before that part that brought my thoughts I read Philippians 4:9 "The things you have learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO - and the God of peace shall be with you."

Okay there is something to be obedient to... I need to DO what I learn, DO what I receive, DO what I hear, and DO what I see in Him... and a promise... He will be with me and give me peace.

I already feel more peaceful just learning to walk in obedience to the things I mentioned last week... but now I need to work on the unforgiveness!

In Philippians 2:2-3 I learned and received and heard and have seen in Jesus that I should "be of the same mind, maintain the same love, be united in spirit, intent on one purpose. I should do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard others more important than myself.

I also read this... " Be forgiving. Have you been deeply hurt by someone or, maybe someone has unjustly taken advantage of you? Go the way of the cross. Don't feed your feelings by constantly replaying the hurt over and over again. Instead, give those feelings and thoughts to the Lord and thank Him for all the times He's forgiven you. Ask Him to give you a forgiving heart towards others and the ability to say, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing to me." If you do this, you'll become a better woman rather then a bitter woman."

Ouch! With what I am struggling with, I really don't want to be obedient to parts of this! But I SURELY DO NOT want to be unforgiving and bitter! That would make me disobedient and ugly!

Sometimes the people we care about the most can be the ones with the most power to hurt us. And to those very same people we know so well, we read them and judge them by what we have seen or known for years. But all this tells me is none of that matters! Yes I am hurt and have been for a long time, but I am to have the mind and love of Christ! I am to focus on them and their needs ABOVE my own! I am commanded to FORGIVE!

I highly doubt a difficult person will change by us being difficult right back at them. As my husband would say - we need to be the bigger person... we need to be the ones that focus on making our relationships something that brings God glory!