Letting Go

Letting Go

Jude 1: ¹⁴ It was Enoch, the seventh direct descendant from Adam, who long ago prophesied this about them: “The Lord will come with many thousands of his holy angels ¹⁵ to bring judgment on all, to condemn them all for the godless deeds they have performed and for all the terrible words that godless sinners have spoken against him!”

 

¹⁶ These people are always grumbling and blaming others; they follow their own evil desires; they brag about themselves and flatter others in order to get their own way.

 

============

 

After the third interview, I wondered if I got the job. My handler said to me “A third round of interviews is strange, but they seem ready to extend an offer.” I got comfortable with those words and stopped interviewing. I was about to be hired for one of the largest companies in the world! About a week later they told me the position was put on hold. A week after that, the company announced they were laying off tens of thousands of people.

 

• I may have gotten my way but would not have wanted what I got.
• My way was going to end in disaster.
• I was mad that it was taking so long to get “my” way but I am glad I didn’t.

 

Jude focused on a prophecy that has not yet come to pass. He warns against grumbling, blaming others, following selfish evil desires, bragging and flattery to get their own way.

 

My Observations:

• GOD’s ways are not my ways until I can let go of getting “my” way.
• Trying to get “my” way may blind me to what GOD wants.
• Letting go of “my” way opens me up for GOD to provide “the WAY.”

 

JESUS is “The Way” according to HIM. HE needs no other explanation with HIS statement. All things that are made were made through HIM. GOD revealed HIM as HIS SON for whom HE is well pleased. GOD gives me ample time to brag about JESUS. But unfortunately I don’t use my time wisely.

 

Instead I grumble and complain about what I don’t have versus what I do. I then ask GOD “What’s YOUR problem?” or “Why aren’t you giving me ‘my’ way?” GOD uses HIS patience by not answering because HE is about to do something totally different. I may try to hold on, but I am glad that when I let go, GOD shows me that HE had ‘it’ in the first place.

 

Challenge

• Who is included in the writer’s warning?
• Have you ever gotten mad at GOD or GOD’s people because you were not getting “your” way?
• Will you add “surrender” to your life so you can let go of getting “your” way, replacing it with “The WAY” today?

Rest

Rest

2 Thessalonians 1: From Paul, Silas, and Timothy—

To the people of the church in Thessalonica, who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

 

============

 

Thinking of the many problems life had thrown at me, I laid awake at night. Knowing I had to go to work made me more anxious as I saw the hours tick away. “Maybe if I do some work” was my thought to get whatever was bugging me off my mind. I found myself working almost twenty four hours a day.

 

• I could not rest.
• I could not stop thinking about the many problems I faced.
• I could not solve or resolve any of the problems, so rest seemed elusive.

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy begin another letter to the Thessalonians with a miniature prayer. They knew times were difficult. They wished for all who belong to GOD our Father and the LORD JESUS CHRIST to be given grace and peace.

 

My Observations

• Life can be difficult, BUT GOD wants me to have peace which only comes from HIM.
• My sins may cause me to lose sleep, BUT GOD wants me to know HIS grace is sufficient.
• Worry, rage, doubt and disillusion may appear all around me, BUT GOD wants me to accept HIS grace and peace.

 

Knowing I am forgiven and that my troubles are temporary gives me grace and peace. I mean, I can confess my sins directly to GOD the FATHER because I believe JESUS died and rose for my sins. JESUS volunteered to die as a human because HE created them in the first place. HIS resurrection gives me the ability to be forgiven.

 

The HOLY SPIRIT was given to me as my Comforter. HE lives inside me and pleads on my behalf due to the many sins I commit. HE convicts me once, then guides me to peace versus harassment over the sin I commit over and over. I am glad GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT are one and agree to give me grace and peace.

 

Challenge

• Why do the writers start with this miniature prayer?
• Have you ever lost sleep because of life’s circumstances?
• Will you give all of your circumstances to GOD who is willing to forgive you and give you grace and peace today?

Next Level

Next Level

Colossians 3: ¹³ Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.

 

============

 

As we sat at the picnic table, someone knocked over a drink into “my” food. I pouted because I was a child. “Forgive” were the words given to me. After some cooling down time, I was able to let it go. After that incident, other people spilled stuff and I easily forgave. One day a bully punched me in the chest so hard I almost passed out.

 

• I had been attacked so “How am I supposed to forgive?” was my question.
• I could not fight back, but I wanted something “bad” to happen to the bully.
• I remembered the words “forgive” and I had to do it, reluctantly.

 

Paul addresses differences of opinions. One person had a way of doing things and another had an opposing way to do the same thing. This raised complaints. He provided a way to resolve the differences. “Forgive one another.”

 

My Observations

• There seems to be another level of forgiveness GOD wants me to reach.
• As life goes on, I seem to face a variety of situations and people who need me to forgive.
• GOD forgave me and wants me to forgive others, even when my complaint is justified.

 

Someone said “Forgive and forget”, but it is the “forget part that trips me up. I mean, I do remember what happened so did I not forgive? Having a good memory does not seem to be the problem. Holding back GOD’s love from someone who hurt me is the problem. Why forgive in the first place?  Because the LORD has forgiven me.

 

HE wants him or her to be forgiven too. HE knows humans will have differences in approach, values and opinions. HE also knows this will cause quarrels. HIS message still needs to be spread to everyone. The only way to spread the message is to drop my “offenses”, “defenses”  and be ready to forgive those who are hard to forgive. I am glad GOD forgave me and teaches me to forgive, little by little.

 

Challenge

• What complaint does the writer speak about that does not warrant forgiveness?
• Have you ever been stuck on doing things a certain way and have a difference in opinion that you cannot let go of?
• Will you take purpose into your relationships and forgive those who may be difficult to forgive?

Unstuck

Unstuck

Colossians 1: ¹⁹ For it was by God's own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. ²⁰ Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.

 

============

 

After years of dedication and hard work, I was told “the position is being eliminated.” Handing me an award for the best team added insult to injury. I could not concentrate during the final days. So much of my identity was tied up in work.

 

• I was stuck on “my” accomplishments.
• I was stuck on trying to make sense out of something that made no sense.
• I was stuck trying to see if I made mistakes, so I spent hours replaying words, actions and thoughts.

 

GOD the FATHER gives the ultimate example of moving forward, according to Paul’s letter. HE showed unmatched restraint by allowing the creation to senselessly murder and blame the creator. HE decided to reconcile versus destroy everyone and everything.

 

My Observations

• GOD provides me with a way to become unstuck when I get stuck in the past.
• GOD’s example of forgiveness is something I can obtain when I ask for it.
• GOD can help me to let go, especially when I relapse into pitying my circumstance.

 

“Forgive and forget” seems impossible when I am stuck. I mean, when I replay past hurts over and over and over again, I get stuck in a loop where there is no room for forgiveness. BUT GOD wants me out of the loop.

 

HE picks me up out of the hole of unforgiveness and moves me forward. HE gives me words of peace and reconciliation through the SON and enables me to serve those who threw poison darts at me. I am glad I can let go of seeing “punishment” and turn to GOD’s example of hoping everyone knows JESUS in a saving way.

 

Challenge

• What human intervention does the writer mention, if any?
• Have you ever been stuck in hurt or cannot see a way out of your situation?
• Will you follow GOD’s example and decide to move forward regardless of past or current circumstances?

Offense Defense

Offense Defense

2 Corinthians 2: ⁵ Now, if anyone has made somebody sad, he has not done it to me but to all of you—in part, at least. (I say this because I do not want to be too hard on him.) ⁶ It is enough that this person has been punished in this way by most of you. ⁷ Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely. ⁸ And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him. ⁹ I wrote you that letter because I wanted to find out how well you had stood the test and whether you are always ready to obey my instructions. ¹⁰ When you forgive people for what they have done, I forgive them too. For when I forgive—if, indeed, I need to forgive anything—I do it in Christ's presence because of you, ¹¹ in order to keep Satan from getting the upper hand over us; for we know what his plans are.

 

============

 

Seeing the car dart in front of me gave me offense. I couldn’t do anything about it, so I carried that offense down the road. I missed the light I usually made and when I got to the parking lot I could see a car slip into my usual spot. I was offended. In many meetings, people kept saying offensive things like asking for the day off when we had a lot of work to do. Everyone was pretty offensive that day.

 

• I had a day that I wanted to be angry.
• I had a day that I carried one offense to the next.
• I had a day that I was looking for fights and I easily found them.

 

Paul writes about a specific person who offended many. He did not justify the offenders actions, nor did he say the punishment given was too harsh. He did however limit the offense time for a greater purpose. He wants people to forgive to keep the offender from giving up completely after receiving reasonable punishment. Causing people to give up is a plan of Satan.

 

My Observations

• When I get offended, GOD wants me to take a moment to give it to HIM.
• When I get offended, GOD wants me to see if it is a tactic of Satan to throw me off my praise.
• When I get offended, GOD wants me to understand that forgiveness is the only way from the bondage of hate to the freedom of love.

 

Love sets me free. I mean, when I set my prayers on the offender, I must realize that I am going to the thrown of GOD. I have two choices; “Hurt my offender” OR “Forgive my offender.” The latter of the two is the choice GOD wants me to make all the time, because HE did the same for me.

 

But this is not easy. It sometimes takes a little time and maturity to forgive. Quite honestly, sometimes it doesn’t happen. BUT GOD understands that too. The more I can forgive, the freer I can be. I am glad GOD can make my days stress free when I let go of offenses. HE also enables me to sleep by not being offended.

 

Challenge

• What do you notice about the offender in this passage?
• Have you ever messed up so bad that you needed to be forgiven?
• Does your offended state offend others?
• What offenses can you let go of so you can be free as CHRIST has set you free?

Criticism Reduction

Criticism Reduction

2 Corinthians 2: So I made up my mind not to come to you again to make you sad. ² For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up? Only the very persons I had made sad. ³ That is why I wrote that letter to you—I did not want to come to you and be made sad by the very people who should make me glad. For I am convinced that when I am happy, then all of you are happy too. ⁴ I wrote you with a greatly troubled and distressed heart and with many tears; my purpose was not to make you sad, but to make you realize how much I love you all.

 

============

 

“Who did this?” I asked my family in my usual investigative tone. I wanted a confession, thinking this will “grow the culprit up.” Little did I know, I was creating an atmosphere of secrets.

 

• I was being too critical.
• I had not created an atmosphere where improvement is different for each person.
• I was caught up in the fast pace of the world and lost patience.

 

Paul chose to back off from being critical. He knew that something was not quite right with how the people of Corinth were following JESUS. But he had been corrected by GOD himself and did not want others to suffer as he did. Instead, he expressed his love for them.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to see HIS grace for my sins.
• GOD wants me to turn my hurt into grace for others.
• GOD wants me to seek grace as a gift that is freely given.

 

Being critical hurts. I mean, when I see something “wrong” I may want it “fixed.” But should “I” be the one fixing it? Not all the time. There are times when it is best for me to back off the situation and ask GOD to intervene.

 

The goal is to keep peace and harmony. This does not mean I should never speak up, but the ratio of speaking up versus letting it go needs to lean towards “letting it go.” If there is a common understanding, then certain words can be misused without me putting a boxing glove in another person’s face. We need each other. I am glad GOD is not critical of my sins.

 

Challenge

• What is the ultimate purpose of the writer?
• Do you see GOD’s grace in the writer’s words?
• How can you reduce your criticism of others in your daily walk?
• What benefits will you receive by creating an atmosphere where people can cheer you along with CHRIST as their motive?

Grasping

Grasping

John 12: ²⁰ Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. ²¹ Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

============

Tickets were mounting as I let the car sit. It was no longer working, nor worth fixing. I don’t know why I held onto it, but I did. “Let it go” someone said to me. I heeded their advice and sold it to the junkyard. I got enough to pay for some of the parking tickets.

• I have held onto things that I should have let go of.
• I have had things in my grasp that I should have freed.
• I have grabbed on tight to things I should have released.

Notoriety of JESUS spread way outside of the Jews. Greeks came to see HIS marvelous works, so they approached HIS disciples. JESUS told Philip and Andrew something different than expected. HE gave a parable about a seed needing to die in order to produce.

• JESUS wants me to let go of my life and give it to HIM.
• JESUS wants me to open my hands and allow HIM to remove what I am holding onto so tightly.
• JESUS wants me to release my grasp of situations and watch HIS power take control.

Giving my life to JESUS was easy at one point. I mean when things were easy, it was easy to believe in HIM. But when the winds of life blew against me, I found myself, trying to execute “my” plan to fix things. JESUS wanted something better to put in my hands, but HE couldn’t while I was holding onto things HE did not want me to have.

GOD wants me to release my grasp and open my heart to whatever and wherever HE has for me. HE gives my life purpose and I seek to serve HIM by serving others.

• Are you holding onto your life?
• Is your life full of blame and disappointments?
• Will you let go of the things that keep you from having a solid relationship with HIM today by seeking those HE wants you to serve?  

Do What You Gotta Do

Luke 19: ⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘“My house will be a house of prayer”; but you have made it “a den of robbers”.’

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. ⁴⁸ Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

============

“This person seems like they are after me” I said with distress. I mean they treat me different than the rest. I added. “Fight back” were the words of human wisdom. “You don’t have to stand for that nonsense. You have to do what you gotta do.” After this advice, I was filled with rage. The conflict was on! I had to protect “myself.”

• There have been many times I have been filled with rage.
• There have been many times I have gotten mad at someone who was in charge.
• There have been many times I was told to do something, but the person giving the advice had rage inside of them.

JESUS entered the temple and saw what it had become. It was not a place where HIS people were being fed, rather it was a “den of robbers.” JESUS was filled with rage and began to drive out those who sold their stuff blatantly. The church leaders mentioned “GOD” but wanted to kill HIM. They too heard the words “Do what you gotta do.”

• GOD wants me to listen to HIM for advice.
• GOD wants me to put HIS word over my actions.
• GOD wants me to remove my rage and let HIM decide what HE wants to do with the oppressor.

Hate breeds more hate and those who love to hate people may not be able to recognize love. The church leaders hated JESUS enough to kill HIM because they wanted to protect themselves and their lifestyle. They were willing to do whatever it took to take control of the situation, even murder.

GOD wants me to check my heart and give my desires to HIM. HE does not want me to be so desperate that I would prey on HIS followers. GOD wants me to seek peace with HIM so I can pass it on to others. HE is my guide.

• Are you enraged by someone?
• Do you feel like you “gotta do what you gotta do?”
• Will you consult GOD before you add rage and hatred to your heart today?