My challenge for 2014

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And 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. (Colosians 3:12-15 NLTse)

My challenge this year is to put the above passage into practice. What would happen, first in our individual lives, then in our local churches, then in our communities, if each of us who call ourselves Christians would seek to put this passage into practice? If instead of seeking to condemn another person, we simply forgive them. I suspect that there would be a gradual transformation that would spread, and we would become even more effective than ever at reaching those who are lost.
Now, I am certainly not going to claim that this is an easy thing to do. Forgiveness is not for wimps. It’s actually one of the hardest things to do, and even when we manage to forgive, the memories creep up on us when we last expect it. But it is possible. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to work within our hearts, He will transform us into more Christ-like individuals, who are able to share the love that Christ has for is with those whom we may otherwise find unloveable.

Also notice it doesn’t say forgive if the other person asks you to forgive them. It says we are to make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends us. Further, this isn’t a suggestion. It is an order, a command. Paul goes on to say that we must forgive others.

I admit, I have felt some serious conviction over this. Forgiveness does not come easy. But I must. Because God demands it. Because Christ forgave me. And because, if I want peace in my own life, then I have to be willing to let go of the garbage that comes along. It doesn’t say forgive only if the offense was unintentional. And it certainly does not say it’s ok to hold a grudge if the other person purposefully offended you.

Further, it is love which binds us together as believers in Christ. Can you, or I, truly love others if we refuse to forgive? I don’t think so. In fact, I’ll change that to a straight “no, we cannot.” Because when we refuse to forgive we allow our hearts to begin to harden. A hard heart is simply not capable of love, or peace.

Finally, be thankful. When? Always. I’ll be honest, I think Paul was a bit off his rocker here. How am I supposed to be thankful when so much of life gets in the way? You know what I mean. How am I supposed to be thankful when all the bad things like bills, accidents, sickness, death, foreclosures, and disasters seem to be an endless cycle? I have to honest here too, this is also a tough one for me, and probably for many people. But I think I have a solution. Instead of waiting until Thanksgiving to figure out something to be thankful for, think of at least one thing each day. I don’t care how depressed you get, and I am talking from experience, if you ask God to name just one thing that you have to be thankful for, and listen to Him, He will show you several things.

So I think I can sum up this challenge with just a few words: forgive, love, peace, and thankful.

Will you accept this challenge? Or maybe God has a different challenge for you this year. Whatever He asks of us, may our Heavenly Father bless us, and help us to grow stronger in our faith, and in our love for one another this year.

Thankful

Today we pause to give thanks. So, what am I thankful for? I am thankful for grandparents who raised their children in the church and who modeled lifestyles of service and worship. I am thankful for parents who continued to model the same lifestyle, and who raised my brothers and me in church. I am thankful for my children and my grandchildren, and I pray that I am continuing the legacy left by me parents and grandparents. I am thankful for my brothers and sister who pray for my children and me, and who encourage me, and even challenge me when I may post something questionable. I am thankful for my extended family, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and for their prayers and encouragement. I am thankful for faithful friends, who continue to stand by me, encourage me, and pray for me and with me. I am thankful for those churches I have had the privilege of visiting over the past seven months who are open and inviting to visitors, and for those brothers and sisters in Christ who, even though they don’t know me, have extended a hand or hug of friendship and fellowship.

I am thankful for those who have served and who are still serving our country in the military, be it active, reserve, or national guard. I am thankful for those who serve in public safety: police, fire and EMS, as well as the many medical professionals who are taking care of patients, even on a holiday.

Most of all, I am thankful for a God who loves us so much that He gave His only son. That Son gave up his own glory, and brought himself to down to our level and gave His own life to pay the required penalty for our sins so that we may have eternal life with Him. I am thankful for a Savior who not only accepts me as I am, but through the Holy Spirit, works in my life to change me into what He desires. A God, who even when I screw up, is there, arms outstretched, pleading and ready to take me back. Who, even when depression sets in is right there to remind me that I am His. When experiencing even the deepest of sorrows He gives the comfort of His Holy Spirit. Even when I have been ready to give up on myself, He never gives up on me. When the accuser brings up past sins and mistakes, my Heavenly Father says, “What sin? What mistakes? My child, I not only forgave them, I have forgotten them. The slate is clean. Your future is with me.”

For all this and so much more that I just don’t have words to express, thank you, Lord.

What are you thankful for today?