Forgive AND Forget… Yeah, Right!

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I’ve considered myself a fairly forgiving person. Am I really as forgiving as God intended for me to be, though? I’m not sure that I am. I think I have some work to do that includes a deeper look at the kind of forgiveness the Lord wants us to experience. In my quest to dig deeper, I’ve considered some questions.

Does the Bible actually tell us to forgive AND to forget? What does it even mean to forgive and to forget? Is it possible to truly forgive without also forgetting? Plus, what about those who have experienced horrific traumas? How can they possibly be expected to forgive or to forget? That seems impossible and unreasonable. Is it though? And what can we experience in life if we are able to forgive those incredibly unfair and awful experiences? Plus, what might happen if we “forget” such events even occurred? 

Goodness gracious! I have a lot of questions! Let’s start by delving into a perspective that has been placed on my heart recently. Maybe God does actually want us to not only forgive but to also forget. You’re probably thinking, “Seriously, Shawna? To forgive is one thing, but to forget is an entirely different beast!” Hear me out though before getting too upset. Keep in mind that my approach to this topic comes from a position of someone who has experienced traumas in life. Like you, I have not lived in a bubble of unicorns and rainbows. 

So, does the Bible even say that we are to forgive and to forget? Well, not directly, but it does provide us the keys to understand that we should. 

First, in Scripture, God says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). (Bold italics mine.)

Then secondly, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13.) (Bold italics mine.)

God, this perfect, holy God, desires to blot out and forget our sins! Furthermore, this holy, perfect God wants to forgive imperfect us. His Word additionally teaches us that we should forgive in the manner He forgives us. Well, (you might be thinking) He is God. We are human, and as humans it’s impossible to literally forget. Yep! You’re right about the “literally” part. However… 

Let me explain, just like the fact that God doesn’t simply forget in the same manner we forget where we placed our keys, He blots out our sins because He chooses to. He tells us in the afore mentioned scripture that he blots out our sins for His own sake. He doesn’t want to remember them. It doesn’t serve Him in anyway to remember our sins or to throw them back in our face after we have repented, and He has forgiven. 

Keeping these things in mind, we can forget other’s transgressions against us in the same manner God does this for you and me — by choosing not to bring them up because it will not serve us well to do so. Like God, this kind of forgiving/forgetting is done “for our own sake.” It’s a way of allowing us to move on and no longer bring it to mind because it doesn’t usefully serve us. Even more, it provides us a clearer and better perspective in life moving forward.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19). Wow! That encourages me even more! We need to forget and no longer dwell on past grievances because God has something new for us to experience. It doesn’t mean the bad stuff just goes away. It means that He makes a way and refreshes us amid the wildernesses and wastelands. 

What about those who have experienced unbelievable traumas? How can any of us expect to forgive and forget such things. Well, let me remind you of the torture Jesus endured for us as He hung on the cross after being crucified amid two criminals. Luke 23:24 teaches us that, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” 

If Jesus Christ can forgive in such a way, then you and I should too. It isn’t easy, but it’s necessary to live a more fulfilling life, one that God intended us to live.

Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. Those who repent of their sins are forgiven by the Lord Jesus. He rose from the dead after His punishment on the cross for us so that those who have repented could have eternal life with Him in heaven. 

So we forgive and forget, and our focus remains on what Jesus has done for us. That, my friends, is what you and I need to remember!

I Change My Mind…

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Do you mind if I speak frankly today? I had to start a new medication for my Parkinson’s a few days ago because my symptoms have been steadily progressing. Apparently it’s much stronger than the med I previously took. It makes me feel so fatigued and unmotivated. Ugh. I don’t like feeling unmotivated. It goes against the grain of who I am or at least who I want to be. 

My husband, David, insists I rest, but I’m afraid to. I realize that sounds silly, but let me explain. I worry I will feel like this most days now, so to rest instead of getting stuff done, makes me worry I will never get things done going forward. I get it in my head that when I feel like this, it means that I will always feel like this. I don’t stop to consider it’s just an off day. I know. I know. That’s a bit much. After stating this, I realize I put a lot of pressure on myself. 

It’s not like I’m a doctor or have some hoity-toity job that requires my great skill and expertise. I’m just a regular person with stuff to do around the house and on-line school work to get done. I simply don’t want to get behind on either. I want to be a productive person. Life is different for me now. I admit I get scared sometimes. I worry I will eventually be “un-able.” Goodness gracious! I guess I can be a bit of a drama queen.

As I sit here clicking away on my keyboard to express my thoughts, the Holy Spirit has reminded me of something: “Take off your ‘crown’, Shawna. This is only temporary.” My Parkinson’s is only temporary! I will not have this disease forever. You’ll have to excuse me for my gloominess. Sometimes I become hostess, honored guest and VIP of my little pity parties. Then the Holy Spirit has to reign me back in. Regardless of what I may go through, I won’t have PD on the other side of eternity. I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but I forget sometimes. Silly me. 

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Imagine living every single day of life with the mind-set of eternity with Jesus Christ! It makes this short life here seem so much less tragic. For those of us who accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can rest assured that any of the hopelessness we may feel in this world is simply a short, annoying blip compared to the overwhelming amazingness of heaven for eternity!

So if you’re struggling with something, and you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, change your mind to that of an eternal one. Life isn’t easy sometimes, but it won’t be like this forever. Remember what 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Phew!

Pray with me: Father, thank You for always being there for me. I get worked up about stuff sometimes. I really don’t need to because You’ve done the ultimate by providing a way for my sins to be forgiven and by defeating death and providing a way for me to spend eternity in heaven. There will be no pain or sadness there! In the meantime, help me to keep my eyes fixed on You.  Whenever I get discouraged, change my mind to that of an eternal one. What a relief that I can have the hope of eternal life with you and other believers. I love You. 

A Prayer of Psalm 1

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Psalm 1:1-6

1
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers
Father, thank You for Your blessings.                                                                                                                                                   My desire is to walk with You faithfully.                                                                                                                                             Keep me from the temptations that You know can so easily ensnare me.                                                                                      Give me boldness to stand up for You and Your truth regardless of what others may be doing or saying.
2
…but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,                                                                                                                                                                  and who meditates on his law day and night.
I delight in You and desire to be holy.                                                                                                                                           Keep my mind on the desires of Your heart all day and all night.
3
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,                                                                                                                                                          which yields its fruit in season                                                                                                                                                                                             and whose leaf does not wither –                                                                                                                                                                whatever they do prospers.
Continue to teach me through Your Word and grow me.                                                                                                            Do this so that I may be fruitful.                                                                                                                                                                 I do not want to shrink back; help me in those times I’m tempted to do so.                                                                                  I only want to prosper in the way You have called me.
4
Not so the wicked!                                                                                                                                                                                                              They are like chaff                                                                                                                                                                                                                  that the wind blows away.
I desire You and Your ways!                                                                                                                                                      Help me to be strong.                                                                                                                                                                       I do not want to be carried away by the setbacks this world can bring.
5
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,                                                                                                                                                 nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
I want to bring You glory                                                                                                                                                            and bask in Your righteousness.
6
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,                                                                                                                                     but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Thank You for the peace only You can bring me as You watch over me.                                                                                    It is only because of Your grace that I can rest in the safety of Your arms.

~I love you. Amen

Don’t Just Stand There, W.A.I.T. (and 4 Ways to Do It)

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It was around 2:30 am when I woke up wondering when I’d find out if an insurance claim I recently submitted was going to be approved. I had finally gathered all the required documents they asked for and had submitted it a day prior. Now I had to wait. Ugh… Waiting. It’s just not easy much of the time. I had to ask God to help me be patient and trust that He had everything under control. That’s when it occurred to me that we spend a lot of time waiting. 

We wait in line at the store as the person ahead of us has issues with their credit card. We wait days for the call from the doctor we just saw after sitting 90 minutes in the area designated specifically for waiting. We wait for our vacation to finally get here. We wait to find out if we got the job. We wait for the news about how our parent did in surgery. We wait on hold with the cable company after service went out again. Goodness gracious! We do a lot of waiting. 

As I laid there contemplating this realization, I wondered why waiting vexed our beings to such extent. Then I wondered what we could do about it. That’s when I came up with (or more likely the Holy Spirit kindly gave me) an acronym for “wait”:  While Anticipating, Invest Time. So I pondered what we could invest our time doing as we wait. The following 4 things came to mind…

W.A.I.T. — While Anticipating, Invest Time:

1.  In prayer:  Ephesians 6:18a says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Well, that’s fitting! That means we can pray in any waiting-type-scenario, while in line, on the phone, at home, work, the gym, wherever, and whenever. We can also pray for whatever. For example, maybe in that moment we need help with patience, or understanding, or remaining calm. 

2.  In being still:  In Psalm 46:10a, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Maybe there are times that we get too worked up in the waiting process. In those moments, we can take a step back and simply be still with God. Take the focus off of the thing we are anxiously lingering on, and fixate on Who God is. 

3.  Practicing grace:  Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” If we make this a tagline for daily living, even in the slightest of moments, this scripture can change our state of being. By humbling ourselves and gently and lovingly putting ourselves in the shoes of others, maybe we can keep ourselves from creating stories in our mind for what is taking so long. 

4.  In giving it to God:  In Matthew 6:34, Jesus says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” So instead of worrying amid the wait, trust God with it and know that He has a perfect plan that includes the perfect time for it to happen. 

Maybe next time we are in those mysterious, blank waiting periods of time, we can fill in those spaces with something else. While Anticipating, Invest Time in prayer, in being still, in practicing grace, and in giving it to God. Basically, we can simply W.A.I.T. while we’re waiting.  

Pray with me: Father, thank you for making Yourself so available to me at all times with anything and everything. Help me to have such trust in You that I am able to wait for Your answers. Help me to not only accept the fact, but to even find peace with the fact, that sometimes Your answer is yes, sometimes it’s no, and sometimes it’s wait. Thank You for Your continued presence, especially amid the waiting periods of life. I love You. 

Me: A Pocket-Sized Rendition

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I am shy.

Lattes, I drink.

I like to skip 

And like to think.

*

I have fun 

And sometimes cry.

I like to sneeze 

But don’t like pie.

*

I am pale 

And sometimes scream.

I like the gym

And often dream.

*

I am glad.

Veggies, I eat.

I like chocolate.

Please rub my feet.

*

I am kind

And like to floss.

I dislike snakes

And applesauce.

*

My hair is red;

No need to fear.

Tell me more;

I like to hear.

*

I am bold.

Well, maybe not.

But I am strong

And smiles I got!

*

I won’t give up

Yet sometimes fail.

It’s fun to walk

Along a trail.

*

I love my fam

And sometimes twirl.

But most of all

I am God’s girl.

His Gift

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My entire being ached from the journey.

My overly stuffed backpack burdened me far more than it helped me in my walk.

My discomfort grew with every step.

I had to stop.

Gingerly, I sat down with my baggage. Then I saw Him. 

When our eyes met, I nervously looked away.

It was Jesus.

I could sense He was still looking my way and that He cared about the heaviness of the load I carried.

With sorrow in His eyes, He watched me with such compassion.

I wept. 

I could no longer trek with my heavy cargo.

Even though the weight of it caused me such anguish, I assumed it all needed my attention. That’s why I continued to carry it. 

I sat down to rummage through everything inside.

The clutter lying crumpled and disheveled throughout my bag, left me wondering how I could properly continue my journey with it.

I looked up at Jesus again.

From the care on His face, I knew He had never taken His eyes off me.  

The same sense of anticipation remained within His presence.

I breathed deeply and looked again at my ever-growing weight.

Next to it lay a white box. Had that been there all along? 

The lid sat ajar just enough to encourage my inspection of its contents.

I peeked inside.

Empty. 

The size of the box matched the size of my bag exactly. 

That’s when I knew.

So, one by one, I carefully pulled each crumpled and worn piece from my bag, pausing long enough to inspect it once more from every angle before placing it into the box.

The more I removed, the more my backpack began to fade. 

The more I added to the box, the more it began to shine!

After placing the last mass into the box, with a deep exhale of assurance, I affixed the lid on top.

A red ribbon glistened where my baggage had previously sat.

With care, I tied the ribbon around the box and over the lid to seal it closed.

I even had enough ribbon to craft a large bow at the top.

I looked to Him again.

Jesus smiled.

He eagerly awaited His gift with outstretched arms. 

So, I lifted the box from the ground with one final groan, and gratefully offered it to Him.

Nodding with a smile, He received it with ease in one hand and extended to me His other.

I grabbed hold.

Then I skipped next to Him, singing His praises. 

Give your burdens to the Lord and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. ~Psalm 55:22

Are We Odd (Awed) Enough?

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What makes those of us who proclaim to be Christians different from the rest of the world who do not make such a claim? As followers of Jesus, we should stand out, shouldn’t we? Our behavior should even appear unusual to those who do not follow Jesus, yet. When we’ve repented of our sins and have received Jesus as our Savior, we are reborn into someone new inside. The first part of Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Lately, I’ve been convicted about this. In a previous post I had admitted that I tend to worry about what people think of me, and I stressed the importance of accepting that we, as believers, are “square” in this round world; however, I realize there is still a level of concern within me about appealing to people rather than appealing to God. I don’t think I’m the only Christian who feels this way, either. Furthermore, I have come to believe that this may be one of the greatest hinderances we have in displaying Jesus to others and sharing Jesus with others because by doing such things, it means we have to be transforming-ely different. We have to be “odd.” 

Maybe we should relentlessly not care about what the world thinks of us. Goodness gracious! How do we do that? Well, I don’t fully know, but I do think it starts here: We must continually be awed by who God is, be awed by what He has done, and be awed by what He has planned. 

There are numerous passages about who God is, and quite honestly, He is more than I am equipped to describe. Please keep in mind what A.W. Tozer says about God as you read my inadequate list, “If we take away any of the attributes of God, we do not weaken God but we weaken our concept of God.” God is the Creator of the universe and the giver of life. He is merciful, and He is just. He is all-knowing and is everywhere at all times. He is the light of the world. He is sovereign, and He is good. He is holy and perfect. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is everlasting. He is gracious and righteous. He is faithful. He is love. 

In fact, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16. God revealed Himself through the person of Jesus Christ. He lived the perfect life that none of us could live. While Jesus was here He performed countless miracles of physical, mental, and spiritual healings. He, the Perfect Man, also paid the penalty for our sins. Romans 5:8 points out that, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Furthermore, Isaiah 53:5-6 reminds us, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

In addition to all of this, the Lord God wants us to be with Him for eternity. In John 17:24, Jesus prayed, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…” This same amazing God actually wants us to be with Him. God! The One I’ve been speaking of! He wants us to be with Him! He has eternal plans for His follower’s lives that involve being along side Him for eternity! 

I don’t know about you, but I am awed by Him! I needed this reminder so that I am better able to be “odd” in living out my life sharing Jesus with others. I want to see revival! I want to make an impact in His eternal kingdom. Don’t you?! Let’s pray and figure out how we can do this together. Let’s be unafraid of being odd for Him because of how awed we are by Him. 

Pray with me: Father, I am truly awed by who You are and what You’ve done and what You will do. Show me ways I can courageously be “odd” as compared to the ideals of this world. Help me share You with others in a way that is relatable and understandable and encouraging so that they, too, will be awed by You and in turn desire to walk with You. I love You. Amen. 

The Sacrifice of Praise

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I had a dream once that I was with a group of friends and coworkers at a restaurant for lunch. During the meal, my cell phone rang. It was a call from the college I had (in real life) applied for a scholarship at. I answered the call. They told me I had received the scholarship. I hung up and began celebrating and praising God out loud for what had just happened. The dream ended, and it started all over again…

I was at the same restaurant with the same group of people. My phone rang. It was the same college calling me. I answered. This time, though, they told me I did not receive the scholarship. God spoke to my heart in the dream and said, “Now give Me the same intensity of praise you did when you received that first phone call.” 

I woke up and contemplated what had just happened. Does God not only want praise for the stuff we like and the stuff we don’t like; furthermore, does He even want the same level of praise for both? Goodness gracious! That seems a bit much. Or is it?

Allow me to take a step back for a moment. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” I realized two types of sacrificial praise we can offer the Lord. There’s the praise that occurs when we’ve received or accomplished something big, and in those moments we sacrifice praising ourselves and offer that praise up to Him. Then there are the times we receive awful news or fail miserably at something, and in those moments we sacrifice bitterness and anger, and, instead, offer up praise to the Lord. 

These times are not always easy, but that’s where the sacrifice comes in. God doesn’t want our praises merely for Him to bask in. He sees the bigger picture that we cannot see. As followers of Jesus, we can have such intense trust in Him that even when things don’t go the way we want, we can thank Him for the plan He has in place. When we are thankful to Him amid it all, it opens our hearts for His direction and sets us up for obedience to His will. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

As for the dream, not long after that I found out (in real life) I didn’t receive the scholarship. With a big smile, I literally thanked God. I knew He had a plan. Looking back, I am even more thankful that He closed that door because I’m currently attending college for ministry, and I am absolutely certain this is right where He wants me. 

He loves us and has such good plans for our lives. We can trust Him fully with our entire being. Nothing is too big or too small to praise Him for. When things look up, I will sacrifice my self-praise and give it to Him for His amazing grace. When things look down, I will sacrifice harsh feelings and give Him praise for His better plan. 

Pray with me: Father, You are abundantly good to me. You have such an amazing plan for my life. I sacrifice anything that keeps me from being eternally thankful for who You are. You alone are worthy of my praise. I trust You completely with my life. My desire is to hear Your plan and be obedient to it. Use me to share with others how wonderful You are! There is no place I’d rather be than continually in Your arms. I love You. Amen.

Hip to Be Square

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Sometimes I feel like I don’t fit in. Ever feel like that? Do you ever feel like some of the people around you seem to click, but all you’re able to do is clack? I think sometimes we overthink stuff about ourselves that isn’t true, and that keeps us from “fitting” in. Sometimes, though, I firmly believe that those of us with a strong relationship with Jesus simply won’t ever “fit” into this world. I’m beginning to understand that we shouldn’t try to either. 

However, I’m a people pleaser. I care too much about what people think of me. Admittedly, that makes it difficult for me to be myself sometimes. Goodness gracious! It’s been a dilemma. I’m finally beginning to understand, though, that I’m a square peg, and the ways of this world are a round hole. So I have a choice to make, either I shave off my Christian beliefs so I can fit into this round hole, or I stand firm in my faith and accept the fact that because of my beliefs, I just won’t fit in many of the circles of influence around me. 

In the Bible, Philippians 3:17-21 Paul writes, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that we will be like his glorious body.”

Did you catch the phrase: “But our citizenship is in heaven”? It’s when I read that part that I realized why I feel the way I do. My citizenship isn’t in this world, it’s in heaven! Isn’t it possible that our attempts to always be comfortable with who we are and to fully realize our capabilities are futile while we are on this side of eternity? As followers of Jesus Christ, on this earth, we will always be square pegs in round holes. Maybe we should accept this fact and stop fighting it. Simply trust the Lord with it. What we can do is live in the hope of what is to come. In the new heaven and new earth we will get to be fully ourselves and will fit in perfectly!

Pray with me: Father, thanks for showing me that it’s not only ok to be “square” in the this world, it’s expected because of my walk with You. My desire is to accept that fact, to bask in it, and to show others how they, too, can be square pegs in this round world. I rejoice in the fact that when Your children are in heaven with you, all of us who didn’t “fit” in the finite world will be loved by all for eternity.

Where’s Your Treasure?

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My husband, David, and I have been watching The Chosen, a Christian series portraying Jesus and His disciples. In one of the scenes, during a Jewish festival, “Jesus” was asked to play ball with a group of men. More out of a sense of obligation, rather than eagerness, “Jesus” smiled and dutifully agreed to play. It became apparent early on that he wasn’t very good at it. As he laughed and tried his best at the game, the men teased him about his lack of skill. They even asked “Jesus” how long it had been since he played last. His reply was that it hadn’t been since the last time they played together. Some of the men seemed surprised he hadn’t made time to play for such a long time. 

The scene intrigued me. I said something to David about how much I appreciated the way the show portrayed the human side of Jesus by depicting Him as not very good at playing ball. David took note of something more, though. He witnessed the fact that practicing that ball game wasn’t a priority to “Jesus”. It simply wasn’t what was important to him. Hmm… 

That simple scene, and my husband’s observation impacted me immediately. I let my thoughts marinate on it for the rest of the day… And the next. I had to ask myself, “What’s most important to me?” I thought about how I spend some of my free moments in my day to day life. Social media, reading, TV, and playing solitaire on my phone were a few of the things that came to mind. Yes, I pray and read my Bible, too, but I must admit that sometimes, earning the “badges” in my solitaire game has taken precedence. Goodness gracious! That made me open my eyes to the things I am making priorities in my life. 

Since growing closer to Jesus is paramount for me, I had to reflect on how I lived my life moment by moment. Which did I want more, being an amazing solitaire player or having an amazing relationship with God? Please, understand that I am not trying to be legalistic in my walk with the Lord. I am not saying that playing video games will weaken my Christian walk, but what I am saying is that I need to be more aware of the things that are filling up my time, and then determine if that’s truly beneficial for moving my life forward in the way I want it to go. 

The verse in Luke 12:34 came to mind, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I don’t think I’ve really paused to dwell on that verse before. The things that are important to us, we make time for. It’s not always easy to make the most important thing the most important thing, but it’s necessary if we want to grow, especially if we want to grow our relationship with Jesus. 

So, for the last few days, I’ve been reading my Bible more and even made a list of scripture verses I have started memorizing. It’s the first time in a few years I’ve actually missed multiple days of playing my solitaire game. I don’t miss it either. It’s no longer a priority for me; spending time with God is. 

Pray with me: Father, I’m sorry for all the times You were trying to get my attention, and I was distracted by other things. You have so much more to offer me than the things of this world. Teach me how to be a better steward of my time. Show me ways I can grow closer to You. I hunger for You and Your Word. Continue to share with me and guide me on Your perfect path. I love You. Amen.