ABIDE. REMAIN. STAY.: IT'S KIND OF LIKE CANCER

Some one can have cancer and not know it. Often its not the cancer the person detects but the symptoms or side affect from having a life eating decease. Similar to cancer, spiritually speaking is this sneaking little thing hiding in the corner or our hearts, unforgiveness. As God has been building His truth into me we started with the foundation, GRACE. I began to understand that all of my interaction with the Creator of all things is because of His grace poured out in Jesus' blood. His blood flowed so mine didn't have to. I explain to my kids once they can get it, that they should die for a lie or one act of disobedience. WHAT? Yes we should die for what we might consider to be a "tiny" sin. But GRACE! So now that I am getting grace a little more its like an x-ray (or what ever they use to find cancer) and it is scanning every inch of my heart. It has found some dark creepy corners infested with unforgivenss. Dang it, and praise the Lord all in one breath of realization.

So what do we do about it? FORGIVE. I am not joking. It is that simple. As I was challenge over some specific unforgiveness this week, I sat down to do business with the Lord. My inclination was that for me to forgive it had to be this big emotional experience. Nope. It may be sometimes but forgiveness happens in the crisis of the will. It is a choice not an emotion. Similar to love. I also know that I will have to KEEP making the choice. Picking old hurts back up is easy and natural. I have asked to Lord to quickly slap my hand as I know my tendency to go back to unforgiveness even after I have made the choice by faith to forgive. I trust Him to do it. There is much more to come on the issue of forgiveness but may I encourage you this morning to get vulnerable with God's x-ray (grace) let it soak into every corner of your heart and reveal any unforgiveness you might have. This life is messy. Not a single person goes through it with out being offended and hurt by someone close. We can't undo the past but we can forgive and not let the pain from the past shape our today.
¹²Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Col. 3:12-15
I was asked to do this scripture on a canvas and man has it ministered to me these weeks after I completed the order. Like I said, this is not conclusive just as far as I can articulate so far as I learn more about the life giving, bondage braking choice to forgive.