Posted in Bible Journaling, Forgiveness, Life Inspiration

How to leave the hurt behind in 2017

A true testimony to my own heart being given to Jesus Christ was the ability Christ gave me to forgive people who hurt me. It’s not to say that those who can’t forgive are unsaved, or that I sometimes don’t have to forgive “again.” And I have plenty of other failures in my walk with Christ that I have not accomplished victory over, so please don’t consider this a high hatted blog of Christian living. I’m too much of a sinner for that. So today as this thought came to me, I knew that I had to draw the image and write about it, in hopes of encouraging someone who is ending this year with a broken heart or spirit because someone has hurt them.

Along my journeys I’ve ran across many people who have not won the victory of forgiveness; they live everyday looking at the scars of past hurt, which may have been emotional or literal. I’ve seen many of them who’ve carried them almost in a trophy like status of victimhood; one that they can use to say “Look what was done to me, I have the right to carry this and remember how terrible it was.” More often than not, those of whom they were victimized by have moved on in their life or have moved out of this life into eternity. Closure isn’t sought and victimization becomes a part of every conversation they can weave it in to. If you’re not that person, you likely know that person. You dread the conversation to start, because you know where it will end.

There are others who will carry the hurt to their grave. They don’t share it but rather choose to live with the internal pain that can almost be seen in the lines of their face. Sometimes they are angry, nasty dispositioned people; other times their blunt and forceful composure puts up a shield immediately with anyone outside of their familiar circle. I’ve known all the above.

I’ve been a few of them over my lifetime. I’m more often the little Susie sunshine who refuses to give in and sometimes lives in a land of make believe rather than reality as I go through a hurtful experience.

Isaiah 43:25 speaks of the price Christ paid for our sins, as well as those who sinned against us:

“I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Christ, Who knew no sin, became sin, so that for His sake, we could have a relationship with the One Who will never fail us, leave us or forsake us.

I know how I’ve failed the Lord, I have an ever present awareness, even though He doesn’t want me to. But because of that I also have a quick switch of forgiveness built within. When Christ showed doubting Thomas the scars on His hands and side, He didn’t show it and say look what you did to me with your sin, He told Thomas in John 20:27-30

“Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and My God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou has seen me, thou has believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed.”

Jesus showed Thomas the scars as proof that He had the power to overcome not only what death threw at Him but what life threw at Him. And because of that, and our belief in the work of the cross, we have the same power.

Our scars are not an excuse not to forgive, they are a reminder that God brought us through and that Satan did not win the victory. By carrying them as a victim you’re living defeated to Satan.

Show your scars to Jesus, not the world. And He’ll show you that His scars gave you the power to never be a victim again. We are more than conquerors thought Him that loved us (Romans 8:37) He not only died for our sin, He died for those who sin against us. He paid the price for theirs as well so that we could live without the reminder of the pain, but rather the reminder of the Victory. Glory to God! I pray that your New Year is glory filled, pain free and victory bound in Jesus Christ.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Don’t Mind the Dragons and Serpents

2017-dragonWhat did I have on my mind as I went to sleep on the brink of 2017? Why, dragons and serpents of course! Thanks to my good friend Chief Eisley’s preaching last night. It was an awesome sermon! And spot on for what I needed in this season of life. Chief opened his sermon with the illustration of early exploration and map makers who wrote on the maps of unchartered territories “For all we know there could be dragons and serpents there.” Now, I’m sure it was worded differently so don’t hold me to the grammaticism of the day. The point of the illustration that I went to sleep with being on my mind and awoke this morning with it as well was, 2017 may have dragons and serpents in it, if I believe the words of ye old dragon himself, Satan!

Satan loves to booger me up with unchartered territories by laying it on thick about what might possibly be in my future.

Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughs of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Those are the words of God, so why is it that the words of Satan so often seem so much weightier in my life? Because I listen. It’s as simple as that. God did not say there were dragons in those waters any more than He said there are dragons in my future, but Satan planted that seed and I wrote it on my map in the unchartered territories of 2017 and when I got up this morning I began to think… oh my stars. What if this and that happens?! And away went my imagination with all minds of horrific possibilities and problematic issues that may or may not happen and rather than living in the victory of Christ, I’m living with dragons and serpents.

Well played Satan, but I’m taking back my boat.

Chief’s three points to ponder last night were:

  1. Contentment – Wanting what you have.
  2. Companionship – We are never alone, and
  3. Confidence – “He hath said….”

Jeremiah 29:11 wasn’t Chief’s scripture. He was actually in Hebrews 13:5-8

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

That’s good stuff to take into 2017. It’s not unchartered territory it’s tried, true and proven territory. When Satan points to the dragon, just point to the Savior… He’ll shut up for a while any way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! From the Jesus Chick. I’m praying there are no dragons and serpents in our waters that lie ahead, just smooth sailing!