Letting go!

You may have heard the story of the man who complained to his friend about his wife.  He said, “every time we have an argument, my wife gets historical!”  

The friend responded, “you mean HYSTERICAL don’t you?”  

The man replied, “No, I mean HISTORICAL. Every argument we have she always brings up the past.”

Forgiving is one thing and forgetting is quite another. Perhaps we may not be able to forget but I think there are things we can to do to forgive and liberate ourselves from anger and bitterness.

So here are 5 ways to forgive and let it go:

1. Pray. Pray not only for yourself but pray more importantly for the person who offended you. Check out Matthew 5:44

2. Let go of Resentment. I love the fabulous Carrie Fisher quote: "Resentment is the poison you swallow hoping the other person will die." Recognize that when you choose not to forgive someone, you are not only hurting yourself, you're also giving this person control of your emotions, and who wants to do that??  Check out Matthew 18:21-35.  The commandment is clear:  you must forgive! 

3. Make a choice.  When you respond with hate to hate, anger to anger, bitterness to bitterness, you are ironically becoming part of the problem. Choose to resist becoming like them and instead put in the conscious effort to remain a loving, soulful, happy person.  Check out Matthew 5: 43-48.

4. Let go and Let God.  Contemplating revenge? The best kind of revenge is living a successful, happy life. If you train yourself to consistently be more loving in thoughts and actions, you will attract more positive people and positive results.  I say let it go and let God avenge you!  Check out Romans 12:19.

   And finally,

5. Count your Blessings.  When you are tempted to focus on all the ways the world has done you wrong, count your blessings instead.  An attitude of gratitude goes a long way in forgiving those around you and keeps you focused on the ways God has, and continues to bless you.  Check out Psalm 31:14-18.

Grateful in all things

In a cold dark jail cell, away from friends and family, he sat.  Every sound reminded him of his fate.  The chains that cuffed his ankles and wrists cut into his flesh with every move. He had been unjustly accused, and treated brutally. If ever a person had a right to complain, it was this man. But instead of complaints, he offered words of praise and thanksgiving to God, saying:

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20, NIV).

If you haven’t figured it out already, the man was the Apostle Paul. 

Imagine, thanking and praising God in all things. Clearly, for Paul, thanksgiving was not just a once a year celebration but rather a daily, moment by moment reality. His attitude changed his life and made him grateful in every situation.

It’s hard to fathom being grateful in a jail cell, or after hearing hard news, or experiencing the loss of a loved one, or losing a job. The pain of a particular event or circumstance can eclipse the blessings of God. If we are honest, so many of us also forget to be grateful in the everyday mundane things of life too. But we are reminded by Paul, to be:

grateful in all things.

Regardless of what’s happing in your life at this moment — good, bad or mundane — God has blessed you in numerous ways.  

Take a moment and think about the material blessings that God has given you, and the people in your life, and think about this: even in the midst of whatever is going on in your life today, God is near.  God knows what you are facing and God promises to never leave you. God promises to help you. And that is definitely something to be grateful for!

Travelling light

The other night, I was out for dinner with some lovely ladies from a Life Group.  We were talking about travelling and how difficult it is to travel light. 

One of the ladies said, “I had to have friends, who were joining us on our trip, bring 4 pairs of my shoes and that was in addition to the 6 pairs I was bringing myself!”  Truly a woman after my own heart!

Our discussion reminded me of a significant life lesson I learned several years ago. 

In the midst of a very busy time in our lives - Brian and I went on a cruise with some friends.   It was at a time of heightened security, so much so that we couldn’t even bring a carry-on on to the plane.   No gels, no fluids, no exceptions, not even for my tiny tube of lip gloss, which I considered essential.  The security guard begged to disagree.  Everything needed to be checked in.  

We arrived at our destination in good time to get to the pier and jump on the cruise ship.  Our vacation was within reach. However, when we arrived at the airport in Florida we were met with yet another security screening.  It’s seemed a bit excessive but “whatever”, we were almost there… I could almost feel the warm ocean breeze!  After being cleared by security we were directed to the baggage carousal. The four of us stood with great anticipation, each awaiting our bag.  We were so close we could taste it.

“There’s mine”, my friend said as she pulled her bag off the moving track.  

One, two, three bags retrieved. 

“Oh, noooo”, I thought to myself. 

You know that dreaded feeling that settles in your stomach?  That unsettling feeling that screams “they’ve lost my luggage!”.  When the moving serpentine track came to a dead stop and the throng of people dwindle to just the four of us, it became clear that the airline had lost my baggage.  All of it.  Even my lipgloss!

All I had, as I I left the airport, was what I was wearing. Let me assure you it was not Captain’s Table worthy!  I wasn’t smart enough to pack my lipgloss  or anything else for that matter in Brian’s bag.    

My baggage didn’t find me until day four of our cruise, and you know what?  I managed.  In fact, I shocked myself and my friends on how well I managed for four days, on a cruise without my baggage.  It was actually liberating to discover how little one really needs.

Now when I pack, I only pack the essentials.  I am proud to say that today I can travel light, and leave the baggage at home. 

Losing my baggage was actually very freeing!

Here’s the thing, we all carry a lot of baggage - literally and figuratively - like emotional baggage, family baggage, addiction baggage, and the list goes on.  Jesus says….“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…”   Jesus came to set us free from our baggage.  

We don’t have to go through life tied to the baggage we don’t need.  We can get rid of it and live the free life that Christ came and died for us to live.

There is such freedom in travelling through life unencumbered with baggage.  As we begin 2019… consider what baggage you want to shed.