Saturday, I went to class; remember how I ducked my Tuesday and Thursday classes, well Saturday I went and my teacher says to me in front of the whole class, "Joanne, you're back?" I hate being pointed out like that, but now that I write that out, maybe it wasn't that much of a big deal...
After class, I decided to go to our Saturday night service so I could chill on Sunday. It was amazing.
We finished up this month's series, "Unshackled" and a couple of things I learnt from that were;
After the sermon, we pinned up these little notes on which we'd written the names of the people who hurt us/who we hurt on a huge wooden cross they'd set up. That was so powerful. I was just looking at that cross thinking, "Wow, Jesus, because of you, because of this sacrifice you made, because of your blood, I can live in freedom. I don't have to carry the regret and hurt and anger, I can be free"
I did and it turned out to be like 8 pages long. I was in the worst relationship in recorded history for 8 months so I guess 1 page per month :-) Anyway, I didn't feel like it was necessary and I didn't really feel God pushing me to talking to him or sending the letter. That would just cause a whole other session of me being hopeful for an apology, which at this point wouldn't really mean that much. Also, I don't really think he's ever going to be at that point where he gets it. But it felt incredible for me to just release all that, and then the cross thing just cemented everything together. Now every time bitterness pops up, I remember that note I left on the cross.
So, how to LET GO:
xx
Raha
After class, I decided to go to our Saturday night service so I could chill on Sunday. It was amazing.
We finished up this month's series, "Unshackled" and a couple of things I learnt from that were;
- Pride is the "Why should I?!" attitude. "Why is he offended?!" "Why should I apologize?!"
- Pride is easier to swallow than consequence
- Pride when swallowed adds no calories
- Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting, and we get caught up in the not being able to forget part that we give up on trying to forgive at all
- Forgiveness is saying, I let you go, I let it go, God lead me on this road to healing
After the sermon, we pinned up these little notes on which we'd written the names of the people who hurt us/who we hurt on a huge wooden cross they'd set up. That was so powerful. I was just looking at that cross thinking, "Wow, Jesus, because of you, because of this sacrifice you made, because of your blood, I can live in freedom. I don't have to carry the regret and hurt and anger, I can be free"
Mine
I wrote down my name and the ex's. I've just spent so much time and energy hating someone, and it's been holding me back for way too long. After last week's sermon, Pastor S encouraged us, to deal with the anger and confront those emotions and he suggested writing a letter, or meeting with the other person, or going through counseling.I did and it turned out to be like 8 pages long. I was in the worst relationship in recorded history for 8 months so I guess 1 page per month :-) Anyway, I didn't feel like it was necessary and I didn't really feel God pushing me to talking to him or sending the letter. That would just cause a whole other session of me being hopeful for an apology, which at this point wouldn't really mean that much. Also, I don't really think he's ever going to be at that point where he gets it. But it felt incredible for me to just release all that, and then the cross thing just cemented everything together. Now every time bitterness pops up, I remember that note I left on the cross.
So, how to LET GO:
- I would totally encourage someone to write or purge themselves like that. I honestly feel so free form that.
- Pray about it, yell at God, cry out to God, do whatever it takes to fight for your heart
- Release yourself to God's love. That's where it all begins. His love heals, restores, renews. I got this picture in my mind of being in worship, and God's holding my heart and it's got all these black lines running through it, scars and patches from when it's been broken, and God's working on it. It's not instant, but He's not only putting that heart together (that won't lead to an abundant life) He's making it like new (reNEW)
- Forgive. Make a choice to let that person or that situation go. Every time a thought pops up, forgive.
- Do a small physical act of letting go. This can be like, wearing a certain piece of jewelry, sticking your note up on a cross like me :-) giving away old clothes to charity, burning an old letter, anything that you can look back on and it serves as a reminder of God's sacrifice so you can be free. (Please don't do anything crazy or against the law here :-) )
xx
Raha
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