Forgive

Well, I think we’ve done a pretty good job looking into the importance of peace as an aspect of learning to be imitators of God. (Ephesians 5:1)

I want take a minute to touch on another very important aspect of God’s character. He is a forgiving God.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,” Colossians 2:13

Forgiveness is more about us and less about the other person. We ought to forgive not because of the other person’s remorse but because of the gratefulness we have to the Lord for the grace He has shone to us.

“Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].”  Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness is a choice we can make at the onset of any offense regardless of whether the offender seeks our forgiveness or not. If we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts it is like a disease that takes root and begins to rapidly spread through our entire being making us bitter and negative and distracting us from living the life God has called us to. This can be happening to us while the other person doesn’t even know or care that they have hurt us.

I know what you may be thinking… “But….” Once I was dealing with having been hurt by something someone had said to me. It had been bothering me for years. It was in the forefront of my mind nearly every day and greatly affected my mood and sense of self-worth. I was praying, once again for deliverance from this pain when God spoke a powerful truth to me. I knew I needed to forgive the ones who had hurt me, but I was telling God, “I have no problem forgiving them, but they don’t even care or remember that they did anything to me!” At that moment these words slammed into my mind.

“Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a

Ouch! I knew then and there that is was not even about them. It was about me doing as God commands me and forgiving others, whether they asked for it or not.

Are you still finding yourself controlled by pains of the past? Today you can be set free. Forgive…and walk on with the Lord. He can restore you, and He will take care of the offender. Trust Him! And let it go.

Your Peace is a Sign

Our peace is manifested in emotional and mental stability. The ability to remain stable and controlled is a powerful sign of the strength and composure we possess in Christ. It is a recognizable sign of His power at work in us…even to Satan, our most consistent adversary. (1 Peter 5:8)

“And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.” Philippians 1:28

Our peace is a powerful weapon destined to impact every area of our lives. Colossians 3:15 commands us, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

You can only develop and utilize this peace if you are consistently, purposefully working towards this goal. Are you spending regular time with the Lord, the source of peace, love and sanity?

Fill Your Arsenal

Sorry for the delay in this posting. At over 8 months pregnant I am sometimes more on top of things than others. J

We have talked about how Christ used the Scripture to battle against Satan. And a big point here is that He really knew the Word. He had memorized it so it was there when He needed it. I want to encourage you to begin to fill your arsenal. You can’t wait until the heat of battle to scrounge up weapons. You must face each day fully prepared for whatever comes your way.  And hiding His Word in our hearts is the perfect way to do that.

Here are some great ones to start with. Keep them in front of you throughout the day. Put them on note cards around your house. Write them on your mirror. Find creative ways to get the Word into your mind and deep in your heart.

“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

“Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165

“HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].” Psalm 91:1

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33

And we could go on and on, but these are great to start with. Don’t let the thought of memorization overwhelm you. Just read them (or just start with one) several times a day and let the Word do its work as it gets down inside you.

James 1:25 says, “²⁵But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).” I see this as basically saying don’t forget what the Word says and be tossed about. Keep studying and stand firm on it.

Choose to Remain Calm

As I’ve mentioned before, peace is a choice. Being peaceful is not something that just happens to you, just as losing your peace is not something that just happens over which you have no control. You cannot control every circumstance or incident that threatens to take your peace, but you can control yourself. If you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in you and self control is a fruit of that Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Thus you have self control regardless of whether or not you have chosen to operate in it and to let it be developed in you.  

One of my favorite scripture verses is Joshua 24:15 where Joshua tells the Israelites, “choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” I would say to you (and to myself) “Choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the voices in your head, the outside stresses and your frustrating circumstances, or the power of the Holy Spirit of the almighty God living on the inside of you.”

We have a choice, and if we want any chance at escaping each day with our joy, peace and sanity intact we must make that choice and stand firm on it, regardless of how we feel. Decide before you get in a situation how you will react should the situation arise. Don’t wait until the heat of the moment. This is great advice for dating, for emergencies, and for how to live your everyday life.  For instance…Do you find yourself trying to correct your kids by acting just like them? This will set no example and will only escalate the situation. Decide right now…no screaming at your kids. Instead, opt for a whisper. Give it a try. Take a deep breath, get on their level and speak in a firm but calm and low tone. This has a great ability to break the “crazy cycle” and grab their attention.

There are plenty of other changes and choices we can make. The number one should be that the minute we feel this surge of emotions welling up in us and threatening to take our peace, just commit to step away for a minute, take a deep breath, cry out to the Lord and then leave your worries there. Let Him deal with them and go on in peace and joy knowing your troubles are in the more than capable hands of the Master and He is on the case. We are not called to fix all of our problems, we are simply called to trust in the one Who can and to hold our peace.

Between an Ocean and an Army

You may be saying, “All this stuff about holding my peace is great when I’m stuck in traffic or lose my keys, but what about when I lose my job or am diagnosed with an “incurable” disease? What about when my problems are huge and my situations “impossible”?

When the Israelites were fleeing Egypt they found themselves in a pretty impossible situation. The Red Sea stretched out before them and Pharaoh’s army was closing in behind them. Their circumstances were hopeless, impossible, and insurmountable. Here is what Moses told them.

“Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.”

Exodus 14:13-14

When you find yourself between an ocean and an army remember we serve a God who is Lord over both!

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:14a

“But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”’ Luke 18:27

“…with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26b

Identify Your “Peace Getters”

So, let’s bring this down to the most basic level. What are your “peace getters”? What are those little pesky things in everyday life that steal your peace and take your joy?  Here are just a few of the common ones: lose your keys, running late, nothing to wear, stuck in traffic, alarm doesn’t go off, burnt dinner, stain on your favorite shirt…

I encourage you to stop now and make your own list of the ones you find most common in your life.

Now look at your list and ask yourself, “Is there anything I can do about these?” Sometimes there are practical solutions, steps we can take to head them off at the pass. For instance, do you lose your peace when you find yourself running late for work? Make a change and start getting up a little earlier. Can’t figure out what to wear…and then end up running late? Start picking out your clothes the night before. Find yourself feeling overwhelmed? Create a peaceful environment…turn off the TV, put the barking dog in his crate for a while, institute a quiet time when the kids must read or play in their rooms for an hour. We are responsible for creating and maintaining our peace and this takes being proactive.

If you find that there are some things on your list that you can do nothing about you simply have to make a choice. When you can’t prevent it say, “Well, I know God has a plan for this.” And go on. There may be a very good reason. If you find yourself stuck in traffic or trapped behind the slow driver (who in NOVA is likely riding in the left lane) it could be that by running behind you avoided a wreck.  If your alarm doesn’t go off (or in your groggy state you accidentally hit the off button instead of the snooze) just trust that God knew you needed the extra rest. There’s nothing you can do about it now, but a positive attitude can get you right back on track whereas a negative one can throw off your entire day.

Peace is a choice. You and I must choose to hold onto our peace. Accept the things you can’t do anything about. Remember that “all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Say, “Here you go, God. It’s all you.” And let it go! Take a deep breath, and step back into your life.

By choosing to put your life in the Lord’s hands you can run your life instead of your life running over you!