Join Me On the Journey

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isa 61:1-3 (KJV)

What ashes do you carry?

Ashes are the end product of something that has been destroyed by fire. So, what do I mean when I talk about the ashes in your life?

Statistically, it is safe to say that if you are reading this post, you have suffered abuse of some sort, at some time in your life. You may have been emotionally, verbally, physically, or sexually abused by a parent or caregiver. You may have suffered neglect; a failure on the part of your caregiver to supply your basic emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. You may have been a victim of a violent crime such as rape. You may have been abused in a bad relationship of your own choosing. Hurting people hurt people…and there are a LOT of hurting people out there.

When you are hurt by others, a part of your life is destroyed…and turned to ashes. You may react to that destruction in many ways.

• anger
• grief
• hopelessness
• depression
• shame
• guilt
• regret
• anxiety

You recognize these emotions. These reactions to abuse and neglect can burn your heart to cinder and ash. Often, like me, you may hold on to those ashes far longer than needed.

We just can’t help it sometimes. That human tendency toward self-pity is just too strong. Or perhaps, we’ve never been shown another alternative. Well, I’m here to tell you that there is an alternative. And like many of the most important things in life, it’s simple, but it isn’t easy.

Just give it up.

I know, that sounds too simple. I know it is difficult to do. But, it can be done. I am living proof. And you most certainly have given some of those ashes to God in the past.

How do you give those ashes over to God?

I have known of a few people who had a miraculous encounter with God and were forever changed right there on the spot. But, this is the exception rather than the rule.

The rest of us must make a conscious decision to hand over those ashes. You have to acknowledge that the ashes are there and exactly what they represent. You have to take them out, scoop them up in your hand, and give them to God. You do that by journaling, or sharing with a trusted friend, or working with a counselor…or through prayer which is simply talking with God. You cannot change what you do not acknowledge.

And, most of us do this gradually over a period of time. I know for me, I have had crisis points in my life when I have scooped up a big handful of ashes and given them to God. But, mostly, I give him a little pinch here and a little pinch there. I’m stingy with them. I don’t know why.

But God is faithful. He gives me so much beauty in exchange for my ashes. He makes a great exchange.

Today, why don’t you take some time to sit down and think about the ashes that you are carrying in your life. Write down your thoughts in a journal; or talk to a friend; or talk to the greatest Friend of all. Scoop up some of those ashes and exchange them for His beauty.

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There are levels of transgressions, aren’t there?

Failures come in different ways, different sizes, different levels.

There are little mistakes: spilling a glass of milk at a meal, stepping accidentally on someone’s foot, dropping a plate to shatter on the floor.

There are bigger infractions: habitually yelling at your child, failing to keep your word, the practice of nagging.

Then, there are the overwhelming violations of trust: infidelity, a defiant child, physical or verbal abuse.

When someone offends us, whether a big or small offense, we are commanded to forgive.

Jesus talked of forgiveness often and Paul summed up forgiveness for us in this wonderful passage:

…be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Eph 4:32 (KJV)

Forgive has many meanings:

1. to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.
2. to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).
3. to grant pardon to (a person).
4. to cease to feel resentment against: to forgive one’s enemies.
5. to cancel an indebtedness or liability of: to forgive the interest owed on a loan.

But, how to forgive—on a simple, day-to-day level—is much more difficult, isn’t it?

To forgive others means we give up the right to punish them. We no longer hold the offenses against them.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12:19-21 (KJV)

The first step to forgiveness is acknowledgment. Forgiveness implies change and you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. If you are the offender, it involves confession and asking forgiveness. If you have been offended, and the other person has asked forgiveness, you need to accept that apology.

It can be difficult to forgive when the guilty party has apologized, but what about when you have been offended and the guilty party has not asked forgiveness?

When that happens, you need to take it to God. The Bible does not differentiate between any of these situations. God didn’t say, “Forgive one another after the offending party has asked your forgiveness” or “Forgive when you feel those mushy forgiveness feelings rise up.” It just says, “Forgive!” It’s a commandment.

And, God doesn’t command something that is not possible, for that would be unjust.

Joyce Meyer is fond of saying, “Sometimes you have to do what’s right, even if it doesn’t feel right.” Forgiving someone can be one of those things that doesn’t feel right, but must be done.

Is there someone that you need to forgive today? Pray and search your heart. You can decide to forgive that person. You can overcome your desire to be right. God is faithful.

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This blog has been such an awesome experience for me. I have met some wonderful people here. I have learned a lot about myself. It has helped me to become more consistent because I have come to feel that there are people out there who are waiting for me to write something to encourage and exhort them.

And, I have been struggling to find my voice.

I would love to be an Andrew Wommack or a Joyce Meyer. But, I have come to realize that’s just not me. Andrew Wommack and Joyce Meyer are teachers. They have spent decades studying the Word and they expound the word and “tell it like it is.” They have an urgent message and they aren’t afraid to share it. They don’t mince words.

And, I have received—and continue to receive—a great deal from them because I am not easily offended. It’s my personality to be able to easily see what someone is saying, regardless of how they say it…even it it’s in a less than sensitive way.

Many people cannot receive from them because they are stymied by the delivery of the words and cannot hear the message.

On the other hand, I am an encourager. Rom 12:6-8 says:

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (NLT)

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.

That is what I need to focus on. That is where I need to find my voice. And, I am still looking.

I have read and learned so much in my time on this earth. I do read and learn so much every week. But, my gift is more along the line of a John Maxwell or a Joel Osteen.

I need to learn to flow in the gift that God gave me. I don’t think that I have been envying other’s gift, I just think that it has taken me this long to learn that I am an encourager, not a teacher.

Father, help me to find my way!

God Bless You on Your Journey!

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Perhaps you were shocked a bit by the title. What do I mean by that?

Paul said in his first letter to the Christians at Corinth,

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. I Cor. 10:23 (NIV)

Because you have a Savior Who died for all your sin—even the ones you are going to commit—all things are permissible to you. The sin you commit after you accept Christ’s atonement is not held against you because Christ took all your sin upon His body 2000 years ago. This is part of the grace that God extends toward you when you accept Christ.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Rom. 6:1 (NIV)

Of course not, Paul says, and so do you, I’ll guess. As you begin to mature and you begin to meditate on just what Christ did for you on the cross, your desire to sin will lessen. You will draw closer to Him and the tendency to sin will decrease.

And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). I John 2:3 (Amplified)

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal. 6:16 (KJV)

When you’re a Christian, you can sin just as much as you want to…but you’ll want to less and less as you draw closer to Him.

(This is my post from last week at Faith Lifts.)

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The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isa 61:1-3 (KJV)

Is this not an incredible passage?

I do not truly understand all that Jesus did for me when He died on the cross. I’m not sure that my brain, with it’s limitations here on earth, is capable of understanding it on more than a surface level. Oh, I get a glimpse of it now and then, but I must say that I don’t truly understand it.

This passage in Isaiah promises me and promises you that God will give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. What promises this passage holds! And yet, I must realize something.

This passage says that He will give me all these wonderful things, but I must give up something. I must give up my ashes and mourning and my spirit of heaviness. Oh, wait a minute…I have to give up something? I have to give up all those familiar, comfortable, awful things????

All of us have those things in our lives. Those ways of dealing with life that we see modeled by our family and friends and even other Christians. We take a little of the stinkin’ thinkin’ from each person who comes into our lives, plus we might mix in a little right thinking now and then; and we combine it all together to come up with our own way of dealing with life.

I spent a good part of my life depressed. I thought that I wanted to get better, but I realize now that I really didn’t want to get better…until I finally really did want to get better.

You see, depression had become like an old friend to me. I can still clearly remember the day that I realized that depression was like my security blanket. One that I had slept with every night, and carried with me every day, and cried on night and day until it had become worn and tattered.

I had even made attempts at throwing it away, but I would always go and retrieve it from the trash. And then it began to take on a smell…the smell of death and decay.

I had to burn the blanket.

So, I did. And, I very nearly, literally died in the process.

But, do you know what I did then?

I carried around the ashes.

Thank goodness, I didn’t carry them around very long. I was able to give them up and my Father gave me His beauty for my ashes. Wasn’t that a great trade?

There are still ashes I carry that God wants me to give up.

Are you carrying around ashes? What are the ashes that you are carrying? Are you ready to give them up?

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