The Thaw

     It has been a long, cold winter.  Seems like every time we get a day of sunshine, it is followed by 4 days of bitter cold.  It is the kind of weather that wears on you.  It gets your hope up and then throws another challenge in your path.  Pretty soon, hope for Spring turns into a desire just to find a way to stay warm today, get the heating bill paid, and hibernate.  It depresses us.  If we dwell on it, it takes away our desire to move forward.
     Sometimes our relationships can be this way.  Sometimes our relationship with God can be this way.  We can go through times where living for God can be a struggle.  A continual struggle that leaves us out in the cold, day after day.  Some people around us are not joining us as they once did.  We are left to ask the questions of , "Why are we really living this way?"  What about the blessings we experienced?  Where are they now?  Why do I see others around me giving up and hibernating, just hoping that things will change?  Why have they stopped moving forward?  It depresses me.  I have seen God do miracles in the lives of others and in my own life, yet I start to follow their lead and turn inward to myself.  Even worse, I start to think about what others should be doing instead of what I should be doing and I stop moving forward.
     The hardest part is not knowing when the weather is going to change.  But we must realize that sometimes, the weather is not what needs to change.  Sometimes we need to remember where our source of heat and light come from.  Sometimes we need to bundle up, get some wood, throw it on the fire and fan it into flame, releasing the power to bring light into our lives again.  It doesn't matter what the weather is on the outside when the warm glow is emanating from the power of God working through us.  God does not change when things get difficult.  Our approach to Him is what has changed.  And don't forget that we are the body of Christ.  A little body heat built up by working together can get cold muscles and joints ready for exercising our spiritual gifts to God's glory.
     So come out of hibernation.  Start doing the things that God has created you to do as a part of His kingdom.  It doesn't matter what is going on in the world around you.   That is up to the master plan of God.  Our job is to get moving and glorify him.  Don't wait for someone else to come and dig you out.
Pretty soon the winter will give way to the unleashed power and growth of springtime.  Pretty soon the blanket of snow and ice of the world around us will begin to thaw and the glory of God will once again shine!

   

   

Restoration

Why do I need to forgive others?  Why do I need others to forgive me?

     Have you ever been in a situation where you did not forgive someone because you don't think they were sorry about what they had done?  I remember as a child when I was being taught to apologize for something I had done and the person said "Say it like you mean it" or "you don't sound sorry!"  That made sense to me.  There should be a statement the one person was at fault and the other person recognizes the error and regret of the other and gives forgiveness.  I wish it was always so black and white.
     If you really analyze that situation, it appears that the person who has made the error and asks for forgiveness is giving up their ability to claim that they were right.  The person who forgives is giving up their right to hold the upper ground as the "injured party."  As far as pride goes, both people are giving something up.  Why would both parties give up?   What would happen if they didn't?

     Couldn't the person who made the error refuse to admit it?  Haven't we all seen these situations?  Family members refuse to talk to each other for years in an attempt to avoid having to admit someone was not perfect.  They protect their pride at the expense of their families.

     Couldn't the person who was hurt refuse to believe that the other one truly was sorry?  Couldn't they hold out for confirmation that the other person's has been racked by guilt and suffering because of their choices?  How many marriages were lost because of a need to be "right" and make sure the other person felt as bad about the situation as they did?

Forgiveness is not about determining blame.  Forgiveness is not about winning and losing.

I think the beauty of forgiveness is that both people restored their relationship.  Forgiveness is all about restoring a relationship.  It is about placing ourselves in a place where we give up something for the benefit of another person.  We call that LOVE.

Why does God allow us to go through these type of battles?  It is a demonstration of our relationship with Him.  God so loved the world that He gave his only son.... He was not doing it because he had to do it.  He did it to offer forgiveness, he did it to show love and a desire to restore a relationship that was broken when mankind made a choice that disrupted our relationship with Him.  He forgives and we must be willing to accept that we are not perfect and made a wrong decision.

God even offered forgiveness by sending His son before we admitted our blame.  "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Restore your relationship with God by asking Him to forgive you for not following His commandments.  Accept the gift of forgiveness.  He has promised He will forgive if you ask.  Restore that relationship.