UnShaded Revelations

Becoming a leader in any facet, but especially ministry,  will change your perspective of people. If you’re not careful it can cause you to be distrustful, become hardened by situations that occur, and ultimately unforgiving.  Somehow, as a leader, the parts of people that you never saw before magically appear.  It’s similar to that mask we talked about in a previous post, it comes off and you begin to see the REAL them.  

That was the one part of ministry, I don’t think I was ready for.  In this position, you have to be extremely particular about who you rely on and trust.  The very one you thought was for you or had your best interest at heart is most likely the same one who is sharing their disdain toward you with others, leading others to dislike, be angry with, making you the topic of their negative discussion.  Can you imagine how hurtful that really is? 

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus answered, “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven”.

In this context, Christ’s response signifies that forgiveness has no set standard. He shows us and tell us in the parable that follows that forgiveness should be a way of life for us.  I even understood what Mark (11:25) said about forgiving:  25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” The problem wasn’t in me not knowing, but that I knew and didn’t do.  

So what kept me from forgiving?  Ultimately, the answer is me.  Those that know me know that I am (as my husband would say) an “Alpha female”, extremely strong-willed, stubborn, hard headed, and opinionated, etc. etc. etc. LOL.  What I didn’t like about having to forgive was that I felt vulnerable, susceptible to whatever “they” threw at me.  I felt as though if I forgave them it gave them the opportunity to do whatever they had done to me again (and MORE). I was NOT going to allow them to get the best of me; not realizing they had already gotten the BEST of me.  

If we look at this in the “natural”, because we’re not willing to forgive, it becomes a part of us.  It’s something we’re dragging along, constantly talking or thinking about, or even yet holding the anger.  

(Food for thought: Our feelings dictate our actions, in many cases. So many of the things we choose to do, just may be the result of holding on to things we should’ve let GO long ago)

I understand being hurt, but ask yourself this…What’s worse?  Being hurt, letting it go, FORGIVING and letting God deal with it?  Or Being hurt, holding on to it and being in the wrong standing with God? 

So I hear you asking “How do I let this go and forgive?”  Although it seems complex, the answer is fairly simple.  

1. As with all things with God, it’s a choice.  You have to decide whether or not you’re going to obey God. Oftentimes, we get caught up in doing things when we’re ready or when we feel like it, but that’s a HUGE mistake.  What if it’s too late? CHOOSE to be obedient.  
2. Trust and Depend on God – We choose to do things on our own, without guidance from the Holy Spirit, consequently, we end up unhappy, depressed, in a huge mess, etc.  To be honest, we’re not strong enough to handle many of the things we deal with on our own.  We need the strength of the Lord to get us through. 
3. Then DO IT…OBEY and TRUST.