I've so enjoyed the last few months, seeing how Redemption has ultimately changed the way I look at everything.
Nothing is the same.
I'm following a different compass.
Seeing things through different eyes.
And watching the truths that I read in the Bible unfold before me.
God says that He's faithful and will forgive us but that we have to ask for forgiveness and forgive others as well. Sometimes that's hard to do, but it's to our benefit (spiritually, mentally and physically) to forgive. He WANTS to take care of us, to protect us, but we so often let 'self', sin, pride, anger, entitlement get in the way.
So where's this all going?
Some of you might recall this post, about the conviction I felt to forgive an absent, neglectful father. I'd carried that hurt and bitterness and anger for so long. And God knew that. And He didn't like it. So one evening while cutting the grass in the side yard, God impressed upon me that I HAD to let it go. I HAD to forgive my dad and leave the hurt behind. So I gathered my thoughts, and posted Who's Your Shimei? the following morning confessing my anger and resentment and forgiving my dad.
Well, there's a Part II to that post that I've only told a couple people privately.
Not an hour after posting Who's Your Shimei?, my mom told me that she'd heard through the grapevine that my paternal grandmother had died the previous week.
My dad never called to tell me.
And for a second it stung, but God knew it was coming and had been busy readying me. He knew that it would be the final nail in the coffin that was the relationship between my dad and me. And he knew that if I didn't let go of that anger, that final 'nail' would hurt me immeasurably. He didn't want me to have a hardened heart, so He convicted me in order that I would forgive and be able to move forward without carrying that burden any longer.
God is moving in our lives.
God wants us to forgive.
He wants us to lay down our burdens, whatever they may be.
He wants us to trust that HE KNOWS BEST.
How awesome is our God?
5 comments:
Beautifully written, Andrea! God IS so very good and loves us more than we know!
Amen! He is beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words! He is good!
Great post Andrea.correcting our wrongs if possible and forgiving those who wrong us makes for a much lighter heart.Nothing without God.
China
III
I am happy that you finally found peace and forgiveness toward your father. You have the best father of all, and that is God.
Wow. This one cut to the chase. Thank you for your words. About 6 weeks ago, we were in Colorado with my husband's maternal grandparents. While there, we learned some unbelievably disturbing information about his father and some things from his childhood. The day after we learned those things, his dad died. It wasn't a sudden death...it had been coming for a while. But, my husband has been silently struggling with why we learned what we did, only to have his dad die the next day...after MANY years of actively forgiving him for the harm of his childhood. I only know he's struggling because I can pick up on it, as his wife. I haven't known what to say to him...but, I do now. Thank you for touching my life in a very practical way, through your sharing. I appreciate it immensely! God bless you:)
Aleisha U @ www.wholefamilyproject.com
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