3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3 (KJ21)

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We have all at some point experienced an significant point in our lives where life has dealt you some significant blows; From a loss of a loved one, financial issues or the ending of a relationship. In these instances it can feel like you're just standing there with your pieces wondering if you'll ever be whole again.

While you are still hurting it can be hard to imagine that things will get better BUT they do in fact get better. But there is something you must do to get this point, you must trust God with your pain. Often times we are carrying around the pain of our situations that we can't see past it. What we need to understand is that God is ready and willing to take on all that is consuming us. You don't have to solve every problem on your own , you don't have live with that pain day in and day out.

Know that for everything that you've loss, every tear you've cried , for all the sleepless nights you've experienced God is there to restore all that was broken in you and renew you again. Think of how much of a relief it is to turn over all you're pain to God and in exchange He gives you His peace and healing.

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)You make known to me (A)the path of life in your presence there is (B)fullness of joy at your right hand are (C)pleasures forevermore.

What a wonderful gift we have in Christ Jesus! He carries us from our pain into his presence and in His presence is the FULLNESS of joy! Not circumstantial happiness that is dependent on a person or thing but a joy that is everlasting. God wants you to have joy but you must surrender all that you've been carrying to Him. Trust Him . He will give you beauty for ashes.

Love,

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Let's Talk : Why you Should FORGIVE.

Forgiveness is a sore spot for a lot of people including myself. I've wasted years of my life walking around with this cloud of unforgiveness floating above my head with no resolution. But I've learned over the years that when you hold on to grudges you lock yourself into a prison along with your pain. You may also find that you lock others out of your life who could potentially add value to your life. . So today I'll share with you what changed my perspective.

What Changed My Heart? : Three things.

The pain that I was clutching onto served no purpose other than to keep me stuck in time storing the offense in my heart.
The other party was either unaware of the offense or simply didn't care.
I realized keeping a rolodex of the event punishes me more than one that caused the hurt.

Now what actually solidified my need to change my heart was this verse:

Matthew 6:14The Message (MSG)14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

Intense right? We all want God to forgive us right? I don't know about you but I've have not lived a pristine life and there are things I need to be forgiven for. So how can I receive forgiveness if I don't do my part in letting go of resentment? By holding on to a grudge we are essentially cutting ourselves out of forgiveness . "if you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part". Ever read the Lord's Prayer? I've said it, you may have said it; Remember this part? "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". What that statement means is, God forgive me only to the extent that I forgive others.

How does Forgiveness Work? :

Forgiving someone doesn't dilute the pain that was caused or excuse the one who hurt you; Forgiveness pin points the issue and actively peruses peace with the issue instead of holding on to it. There is such freedom in letting go and allowing God to heal that area of your life.

Here's a quote from blog entitled Forgiveness vs. Restoration by Rick Warren that helped me put things into perspective.

Let me explain what forgiveness is not. Forgiveness does not mean the instant restoration of trust. Forgiveness is instant. Trust must be rebuilt over time. Forgiveness is based on grace. Trust is built on works. You earn trust. You don’t earn forgiveness

Lastly for those who are still dealing with painful events in your life I want to encourage you to live a free and full life. Throw down your burdens at the feet of the master and ask that God fill those gaps in your life and and restore your broken heart so that you may really LIVE to the full without dragging any chains from the past. In Jesus's name -Amen

God bless you!

Love, Lesli.