the returning

comeupfromthewilderness:

is that the church as a whole (myself included) has a huge issue with putting the second commandment before the first. We are selfish and unfair to others because it is IMPOSSIBLE to love others as we love ourselves if we do not first love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. ALL of the law and ALL of the prophets hangs on the first commandment. It’s ALL about loving God. so much of the ministry I see is just people trying to love others out of empty, broken hearts that are not regularly encountering the love of God. and that needs to change. not just so that we can love others better (if that is our goal, we are putting the second commandment first again), but because loving God is what we are MADE for, and nothing else satisfies. He is WORTHY of all of our love, all of our affection, all of our effort. He is worthy.

I find this message vital for us emerging church leaders. I thought that I would become well versed in apologetics and snark my way into gaining saints for the kingdom with my “rapier” wit and “charismatic” charm. (I also had an ego problem back in the day.) When God closed his doors on my arrogant heart I saw a window open that led me to the blessings of children’s ministry. I needed God to slam the door in order for me to grow & become full bodied inspiration for His Kingdom. Beloved, do not be discouraged. When He closes a door it means that there’s a more beautiful plan for you…

For generations now, the idea of God “opening doors” for His people has been understood to mean that something good is happening for us. We will comment to other believers: “God opened the door for this new job;” “God has opened a new opportunity for me to walk through;” “God opened the door for me to witness to this person.” 

“Open doors” are something we should ask for when we pray, as they will lead us into the deeper measure of God’s will for us. 

But when it appears a door is closed—after we have prayed for an opening—the tendency is to question God over why the prayer was not answered. We might say: “I prayed to get that job, and someone else got it instead. God did not answer my prayer!” Or, “I prayed to be able to do thus and so, and God didn’t answer.”

The fact is, He did answer; but not in the manner expected. He answered by shutting the door! 

This may seem like a strong statement, especially if you have believed at one time or another that a door was going to open for you that would lead to a great blessing. You may have seen it as the door to increasing your income, getting you a larger house or even bringing you temporary joy. However, you must believe that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Ps. 37:23).

The Hebrew word for ordered implies that you are being set up with every step you take. This setup is, of course, contingent upon you seeking the will of God and praying, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

For example, one person once said he had the opportunity to move to another state and double his income. The positive result would be more money for him and his family. The negative result would be that they would have to leave the church their children loved and leave their best friends. 

After prayer, they rejected the move. They later learned that the job, which would have taken them out of state, would have eventually shut down, meaning they would have lost everything had they moved. Remember, what looks good is not always God’s will. 

Years ago a mother wrote me about how she had prayed that her son would be accepted to a certain university. It was family pride that drove the desire for him to attend that school. He was rejected, and she became angry with God, reminding Him that she had paid tithes and gone to church, and still He had let her down. 

I wrote her and asked: “So God doesn’t know what He’s doing? What if the woman your son is to marry was not at your chosen school but at the one he is now going to? Is it not possible that the Lord may desire him to go to the other school in order to be in His will and not yours?” 

We must learn to trust God in prayer and to understand that just because it appears like we are not getting what we want, it is by no means a signal of defeat.

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quitecamille:

Forgiveness is so difficult. Especially when someone disregards you, belittles you, embarrasses you, and hurts you to the point of heartache. To forgive someone doesn’t mean, “I’m letting you off the hook this time.” Forgiveness is mercifully letting go of the pain and believing in that person’s renewal. When you forgive someone you’re telling them that you know how hard it is to bounce back from doing wrong, but you support them on their journey to becoming a fuller & redeemed soul. It means you have so much love for the person that you erase any record of wrongs from your memory.

To say “I forgive you” means that shame doesn’t exist in your vocabulary. Forgiveness is a glorious gift that you’ve received. This gift is so amazing that you want to give it to another so they can take part in the beautiful journey that you’re in.

Forgiveness does not mean being tolerant of bad behavior. Nor is it about denying reality, excusing sin, avoiding conflicts or ignoring the consequences. Forgiveness looks the hurt straight in the eye, calls it for what it is and says to the offender: “I relinquish the right to make you pay. I give you the opportunity to make a new beginning.” 

Ruth Graham

If I do not forgive another person, then I am being selfish with God’s gift. Resurrected from a unimaginably awful death, and I’m hoarding all this forgiveness from God. Why be greedy? How will that influence my discipleship? How will that improve my spiritual walk? How will my greed better my life?

It won’t.

I close my eyes and stare at the cross. I realize that I have not changed, I’m still the screaming crowd. I’m not the apostle. With all my good deeds done, I can’t even utter the thought of being worthy. I’m not. I’m not because I am too weak to forgive.

Forgiveness is the highest echelon of strength because it is rooted in the understanding that you are surrendering your pain in order for a Higher Being to work on the person. The world is so scared of forgiveness that it rearranged the meaning with a sword and a lie. I used to think forgiveness was weakness, but I’m sitting on the other side and realizing the anxiety that comes with believing in the healing of someone who thoroughly hurt me. As I told him that I forgive him, a black hole started emerging within me. It destroyed all of the hurt I was hoarding. Instead of letting it go, I held on to my hurts with a firm grip and cried because I felt justified in my foolishness. Forgiveness rips all the defense mechanisms out of me. It reminds me that I don’t deserve the gift given, but I received it because of agape love.

I’m scared to forgive others because the amount of strength required is so heavy that I fall to my knees and beg God for help. That’s exactly what forgiveness should do: it should always bring be back to the Father. To cry Hosanna and sing His praises while surrendering everything I am in order to receive strength in Him. The root of forgiveness is to knowingly acknowledge that someone may have taken something from you (whether it be pride, joy, etc), but they haven’t taken away God from you.

Forgiving others is a prayer. You are humming the plea of surrender. Each note is meant to erase our pain and lead us (ourselves and those that hurt us) further into grace. The tune of forgiveness reveals that we love the other person so deeply that we believe in their victory. Forgiveness takes away our identity as the victim and turns us into the encourager.

Now that I understand what forgiveness is, I revel in the absolute wonderment that is our God. He pours so much love into us on a daily basis. Every action, every thought, every sin. It’s all met with the merciful love that my finite mind cannot comprehend. He is miraculous. Our God of forgiveness.