Let the good times roll… this aircraft carrier deck is neat and orderly!
There’s something brewing and I have been struggling with how to resolve it… I wanted to share my thought process…
It involves conscience… morality… honesty… hatred… jealousy… and God. I know, that’s a pretty big list… and unfortunately, I can’t really share more deets. I can tell you that there are people who are very angry… and there are people who are scared.
Mistakes have been made.
This is messy.
This has weighed pretty heavily on me as I am being tasked with resolving it.
Other people and their lives will be affected.
How I found myself in the midst of this chaos I’m not really clear… or so I say, because in hindsight I have to admit it was my heart that put me in this place.
The choice is in my hands as to how to clear the deck… this is a heavy decision as I want to:
- Honor God and do what is right.
- Leave my own sense of pride out of the equation.
- Always display unconditional love for other people.
- Recognize and accept that no one is perfect.
So what am I going to do?
First… before I can clear the deck:
– I have to check my right standing with God. Wait, scratch that (for now)… there’s actually something else that comes first and foremost… it’s back in Matthew 5:23-24… before I can have fellowship with God, worship Him sincerely, and get my right standing on I have to… GO… reconcile and make right my relationship with other people. Have I done that? Check! As far as it is within my control, this is a done deal. (Yep, this is starting to get sexy now, isn’t it?).
– Next, Checking my right standing with God. OK, I’ve hit on this one recently…  enough said 😉
– Time to Clear the deck. How? I’m going to do my very best to leave a lasting impression in exactly the same way that Jesus would have… that’s my goal here. The action plan to clearing the deck? Turn it over to God… and keep loving EVERYONE. Just leave it in God’s hands. Wow! Yep, I’ve seen it before so I already know how this plays out… His great love wins, every time. John 7:38 says… “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” There is no question about it! Love your neighbor as yourself… are you still with me? Man, things are starting to heat up again…
– Here’s the most important part… this is where our testimony and the truth is evident to everybody willing to open their eyes and see… hear with their ears… and understand with their hearts… because Jesus wants you to know.
That F-Word… I’ve used it… we all have! But this F-Word has just a little to do with Bunny rabbits. Using foul language is like watching a dirty movie to try to get someone turned on… there’s just no point in it… plus I’m guessing it’s probably not honoring God. What’s really sexy (aside from pheromones, getting lost in each other’s presence, or good old-fashioned, hot and steamy PASSION…)Â is some good Old Testament Godly love. That’s right, for you, me and for everyone else around, too! This F-Word is sexy all by itself… it defines the true meaning of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” the second greatest commandment. There is simply no denying this one…
All kidding aside now… This F-word is forgiveness. I need it, you need it, we all do. Why? I need forgiveness for me. This has very little to do with that other guy who calls me names, insults or trash talks me, or just hates my guts. He doesn’t owe me anything… But if I let him keeping hurting me inside it only ends up holding me back. I can try to be his friend, and show him lovingkindness, but only if I am freed through forgiveness. How do I do that for someone who hates me?
This concept of forgiveness can only happen when 1 gets out of the closed loop, if you will. If I’ve lost you along the way please go back up to… First… before I can clear the deck. If you can’t get out of the loop… you really can’t move forward.
So what’s so sexy about forgiveness? Well, I don’t know about you, but I personally find unforgiveness a huge turn off. It’s right up there with the rest of the list… boasting… self-seeking… dishonesty… just to name a few.
How DO I forgive someone when they hate me? Read the Word… they’re the hardest ones to forgive… but forgiving them defines my standing with God and IS my testimony. The truth is evident to everybody willing to open their eyes and see… to listen and hear with their ears… and understand with their hearts… because Jesus wants you to know.
Wrapping this gig up with mashup love…
Walking in the light of Jesus’ message and trail we find that morality, harmony and humility end up in the same sentence. This puts the deck back into a neat and orderly fashion… and it puts the whole fleet on the same course. It takes us out of the closed loop and lets us get on with mashup love.
Mashup love… that’s where you and I can be together and still share the close, personal relationships we enjoy and need with other people in our circles. Sounds incredibly simple? It is!
… and it’s picture perfect…
It is… when everybody is onboard
Who knows… it may still be a mashup yet… now that would be transformative… and super sexy 🙂
“… and that’s all I’ve got to say about that” – Gump.
Q: Have you ever found yourself distanced from God due to unforgiveness?
Forgiveness can be very difficult…i’m haven’t had anything difficult to forgive…but i know some who have…
like those affected by the movie theater shooter…try forgiving him…if you were one of the victims…
it’s tough…
Unbelievable about the movie theatre shootings… it would take the healing power of God to forgive for that one… and time.
That reminds me of an Andy Andrews quote:
“Practicing forgiveness is less an act than a determined way of living. True forgiveness only comes at the conclusion of an inner struggle.â€
“living forgiveness” is truly a way of life for us.
Thank you Arny!
Your title was a little scary 😉 but I really enjoyed the substance of the post. Yes, unforgiveness sometimes gets in between Jesus and I. It’s so very hard not to hold a grudge when you’ve been wronged.
Interestingly enough, it’s almost harder not to hold a grudge when you’re the one in the wrong.
Good point and so true Carol, sometimes it’s the confession part that holds us up. Whenever I’m in a dispute I try to think to myself “how can I learn from and better myself through this experience” – that helps, but I do have to recognize my own mistakes!
Chris, forgiveness can be very difficult depending on the situation. It is even harder when someone you love more than most anyone is the one hurting you. Thankfully forgiveness is not impossible, but how do you move on when the hurt keeps coming?
That’s a really good question Neil… I think it would depend on the circumstances… so like maybe the one hurting you is your spouse, or your mom? Like most of the other people around you can sort of put some distance between you and them, right?
Wow, that’s painful though if the one hurting you is your spouse, or your mom… all I can add is to stay really close to God… and try to do good things and live in the light… know that God is at work on your behalf and will work all things out for your good.
The most relevant part of staying close to God through something like that is this… FORGIVEN PEOPLE HAVE A LOT EASIER TIME FORGIVING! (i.e., it’s through the power of Jesus and His great love that we can do this!)