Mary Southerland shares with us: "I
promised myself that I would never
buy a house that could be described
as a “fixer-upper.” I don’t like fixing
things.
I want everything to be fixed before I move in. But there I was -- buying a town house that needed so much work even the realtor couldn’t believe my husband and I wanted to buy it. Why didn’t someone stop me? No one did, so the sale was made and we went to work. Actually, my son and husband went to work while I went crazy.
as a “fixer-upper.” I don’t like fixing
things.
I want everything to be fixed before I move in. But there I was -- buying a town house that needed so much work even the realtor couldn’t believe my husband and I wanted to buy it. Why didn’t someone stop me? No one did, so the sale was made and we went to work. Actually, my son and husband went to work while I went crazy.
I
had no idea how horrible the process of remodeling could be. Layer after layer
of dirt, grime, stains and ugliness was stripped away. Rotten kitchen cabinets
were torn from the walls and rusty appliances were replaced. We basically
gutted the whole place and rebuilt it – while living in it. I was not happy!
I
will never forget the day I woke up to see a toilet sitting at the foot of our
bed. It was at that moment I resolved to never set foot in another house that
required so much work. I am so thankful God does not feel that way about me.
Honestly,
I used to wonder why God didn’t just demolish the old me and build a new one.
Then He did just that – through a two-year battle with clinical depression.
While sitting at the bottom of that deep, dark and slimy pit, the Father
lovingly stripped away old fears and insecurities.
From the walls of my heart, He tore the rotten attitudes, undisciplined thoughts and unholy desires that had walked me to the edge of my pit; then pushed me in. He replaced rusty old dreams with new ones and basically, gutted my life to build a new one, a better one, and a stronger one. Part of that new life was forgiveness. God taught me how to forgive myself so I could then forgive others.
From the walls of my heart, He tore the rotten attitudes, undisciplined thoughts and unholy desires that had walked me to the edge of my pit; then pushed me in. He replaced rusty old dreams with new ones and basically, gutted my life to build a new one, a better one, and a stronger one. Part of that new life was forgiveness. God taught me how to forgive myself so I could then forgive others.
Because
forgiveness is so important, it only stands to reason that there are roadblocks
that can hinder our willingness to forgive. We must make the commitment to
identify and remove each one.
Selfishness
Selfishness
shouts, ‘I have been hurt! It is so unfair. I have rights!’ What I am really
saying is that how I feel about the hurt is more important than forgiving the
hurt.
Pride
Pride
cries, ‘Look at what they have done to me. Don’t they realize who I am?’ To
receive or give forgiveness requires humility.
Low
self-esteem
Some
of us have built an entire identity around a hurt. The attention we gain from
the wrong we have suffered defines who we are. It is something we cherish and
refuse to relinquish for the sake of forgiveness.
Blindness
We
may be blind to the fact that we have not forgiven a hurt. We have convinced
ourselves that we really have forgiven the one who hurt us by going through the
motions and saying the right words without really dealing with the pain. In
reality, all we have done is dig a hole and bury the pain. As long as hurt is
buried alive, it will keep resurrecting itself in our life, but when the hurt
is dealt with and forgiveness is given, the pain is buried dead – and it stays
dead.
Pain
Forgiveness
is spiritual surgery. It exposes old hurts that have never completely healed.
We can move, change jobs, change churches, change friends or even change
families, but until we yank up the root of bitterness and cover it with
forgiveness, we will live with unresolved pain.
Ignorance
Maybe
we don’t know how to forgive someone because are under the impression that
forgiveness is an emotion or feeling. True forgiveness is a choice – a
deliberate choice to release the person who has hurt us from the pain they have
caused. We can stop forgiving others when God stops forgiving us.
We
need to identify and eliminate the roadblocks to forgiveness so God can set us
free, heal our pain and make us more like Him. Now that is a remodeling job I
would welcome.
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)
Let’s Pray
Father,
I praise You for the changes You have made in my life through the power of Your
forgiveness. Please help me forgive the people who have hurt me just as You have
forgiven me.
In
Jesus’ name,
Amen.”
Mary Southerland on Crosswalk.com info@girlfriendsingod.com www.girlfriendsingod.com
“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37b NKJV)
“And
be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ
also forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 NJV)
This afternoon's post: THE BEST OF HE SAID, SHE SAID
Tonight's post: REVOLUTION IN WORLD MISSIONS
jowildflowers@gmail.com http://www.jean-oathout.blogspot.com
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