Life Lesson #1: Forgiveness

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Colossians 3:13

I find it easy to forgive people i generally like. For them, a simple sorry will do..but for people I am not fond of, it's just not enough.

Many of my quiet times with the Lord clearly talked about forgiveness..even until now. I do not need to ask why..it's simple..FORGIVENESS IS A LESSON I STILL NEED TO LEARN.

It's like loving the unlovable..God commanded me to forgive..then that is what I have to do...easier said than done.

"Bear with each other..."

"tiisin, pakisamahan" Well I was thinking about being passive.."Lord pwede bang kunwari wala na lang sila..I won't hate them.. I just won't tlak to them..para lang silang sabaw.." Howevever, bearing doesn't just mean being passive, but for me, it actually connotes taking action..socializing..is it being civil? I know God is telling me it's more than that.

"...and forgive whatever grievances you may have with one another."

The word AND means it is not an option..it is necessary that I bear AND forgive..and it means forgiving ALL grievances..big and small...ALL..Forgiveness towards those who hurt me and at the same time seeking forgiveness from those whom I have hurt.

"Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

The Lord knows with certainty that I am just babbling and I am not completely clear on what He is talking about..so He gave me an example. I have to remember who I am, what I've done in the past that made God frown, others cry, and hurt myself...not to mention what I am going to do in the future. I have to remember all of that and then forget all of that! Start with a clean slate.Whew!

Hard is an understatement. The Lord knows I'm shrugging my shoulders and just agreeing emptily with a big question mark on my face.

Lord.. I pray you'd show me how..I thank you for being the perfect example of what I should do. But Lord I am not like you..not yet..please help me pass this test with flying colors..and enable me to testify of your great love and mercy..Amen

Time To Move Out: A Journey To the Promise Land

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (New International Version)

6 The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.

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My husband gave the message in church yesterday..and indeed God used him to shake the fear off of me...i'll try to summarize his message with four main points

1. I have been overstaying in my comfort zone---my Mount Horeb. I have been enjoying my Mount Horeb experience for so long now that I forgot about my Promise Land. I always share and claim my life verse in Jeremiah 29:11, God really has the greatest plans for my life.

2. I have to leave. The Lord made me realize that i have to go out of my comfort zone and face reality. I have been living my own fairy tale that I almost forgot I am the actress and not the director. I have so many fears..even insecurities..but God assured and re-assured me that i should not fear because He is with me (Psalm 23). And when I go out, I may have to give up some things and say goodbye to some people..in order to grow..in order to build new relationships and learn new lessons..lessons I'll never learn if I stay and enjoy my Mount Horeb experience.

3. God confirms and God affirms. He gave me vision and engraved in my heart the desire to possess His promises.

4. I need to act. God said go, then I should go. I can't expect to have the best if I do not get moving. God said stand in His promises..not just stand in the premises. Faith without action is dead.

Time to get moving..Go and possess the Promise Land!