This week's "Reflection" by Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Teaching & Worship
Forgiveness is something that we truly must clothe ourselves with daily:
"Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." (Colossians 3:12-13)
This means forgiveness for the daily offenses, as well as the deep-seated hurts in our heart. A heart open to allow God to teach us to forgive is a heart that will see God's healing and wholeness in the broken places where people have caused so much hurt. Remember, it is not about the strength we can muster up to forgive, it is about what we allow God to do through us. I pray that this week God reveals to your heart people and situations, where through Him, forgiveness and healing is possible and that through His Spirit you will be open to walking towards forgiveness and the life that will come out of it.
"Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." (Colossians 3:12-13)
This means forgiveness for the daily offenses, as well as the deep-seated hurts in our heart. A heart open to allow God to teach us to forgive is a heart that will see God's healing and wholeness in the broken places where people have caused so much hurt. Remember, it is not about the strength we can muster up to forgive, it is about what we allow God to do through us. I pray that this week God reveals to your heart people and situations, where through Him, forgiveness and healing is possible and that through His Spirit you will be open to walking towards forgiveness and the life that will come out of it.
WOW!! What a great message!! Especially when it was followed with an amazing night of worship :) it is so hard for me personally to forgive myself for my own sins...and holding on to them keeps me from forgiving those who have hurt me. On Saturday, I found out that my father?s mother was hospitalized for colon cancer...when my dad passed away my brother, mother and I had a falling out with that side of the family and essentially where rejected due to our inability to support my father?s mother and father financially. Since our family was so close when my father was alive, I felt left in the dust and struggled with anger toward them and tried to push them out of my heart and mind. This message showed me that the solution is not to forget and it will all go away...Taking it head on with God at the fore front is the only healthy way to resolve these feelings of hurt and betrayal...So my prayers are that the Lord would soften my heart and help me to reach out to them in this time of need. I think the first step is to pray for them daily. I was once told that "When you talk to God about people, you will be able to talk to people about God!"
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI will be praying for your Grandmother and all of the family dynamics at work in your life. Thank you for sharing a very personal part of your life and allowing all of us to see how God is working and growing you in Him.
Jeff:
ReplyDeleteThank you for a wonderful message last Sunday. Like many others, I have been deeply and continuously hurt in family relationships. Intervention has not worked. For many years, I was angry. But, since that time, I sought answers in the Bible and prayed to Him for guidance. I am beginning to find the reasons why He put me in that situation. He is working in me, moving me down the long path to both understanding and forgiveness. As you said, it is a life-long process.
Again, I just want to thank you for your message and for helping me to open my heart further.
God bless!
Stacey
This morning I got the message that my Grandmother passed away. Today I just felt this enormous feeling of thankfulness, since my prayers for my Grandmother have been for comfort and peace as she prepares for her journey to the gates of Heaven. The Lord has amaizing timing and I don't think I would have prayed for her if I didn't step out on the path to forgiving her..Today I took off work to be in the presence of the Lord, I have asked him to give me the words to write a letter to all of my Aunts and Uncles and my Grandfather, letting them know they are in my prayers and that God will always be there for them...Jeff, thank you for your prayers, they are being answered :)
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