Laced With Grace

Sometimes I can be so blond.

Color me surprised! When we first moved to California, I found myself sharing our home with unwanted critters. I moved from an extremely arid region, translation – Las Vegas, where the only small animals around our home were a few scorpions and tiny ants.

Following our unpacking and a few nights in our brand new home, I was sound asleep enjoying the cooler nights of Southern California. That’s when I heard it, a rustling noise in all places, the walls of our bedroom. EEK! I mean, I sat straight up in bed, freaked. Can I get an Amen here?

The next morning I figured we have rodents roving the interior of our abode. Thus, the Warrior Princess in me arose to do battle (queue: theme song from Rocky)

I trot down to the store, return and strategically place some not nice stuff around the garage for the brazen beaties. Okay, I felt bad about this too but it was either them or me.

That evening I slept in pure bliss, the rodents were silent, the dog was quiet and miracles of miracles my husband’s snoring only reached one decibel on the sound meter instead of two.

All was right with the world.

The week passed and I forgot about the unwanted visitors. Until…..

I stepped out into our garage. Eeeuw! What is that smell? I reason with myself, this is a brand new home. We must have a leak in the gas connection to the water heater. You know where this is going, don’t you?

I call the Gas Company. The technician comes out immediately. He steps out into the garage, sniffs once then slowly circles to face me and says flatly, “Lady, you don’t have a gas leak, you have a dead animal in here somewhere.”

Was my face red?

I discovered that morning just how effective rat poison is and how to add another embarrassing moment to my repretwa. I wonder, however, if we can see something in this story? Is it possible that we could be nibbling on a little poison ourselves?

Human poison is masked in words such as; unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness.

We chew on a little at a time. Convinced the poison is going to hurt the one in which we are harboring resentment. We chew on it and chew on it and the only one who is hurt is ….. us.

So how do we forgive those who have hurt us?

One: Relinquish our right to get even. Romans 12:19
Two: Respond to evil with good. Luke 6:27-28 This is hard medicine but it is necessary to keep resentment from growing.
Three: Repeat these steps as long as it takes. Matthew 18-21-22 until your heart and head catch up.
Four: Rescue others with the news of forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. We hold the truth to living free.

Forgiveness releases resentment. Forgive because we are forgiven and Jesus wants us to live in peace and freedom. Colossians 3:13

Let’s make this real: Below is a luggage tag. Print it out. Write the name(s) of those you want forgive. Pray to honestly release your resentment. Or, perhaps you can’t forgive yourself for something in your past. Write your name on this tag.

This piece of luggage now belongs to Jesus. We are shipping our hurts and unforgiveness to Him. Drop your tag in the trash or your Bible. It’s now covered by Christ.

Lord, when we begin to feel those old bitter feelings well up in our chest, remind us of what we did today. We surrendered our feelings and bitterness over this person(s) to you. Don’t let us take it back. I ask in the powerful, life-changing name of Jesus.

Please visit me at…..



*inspired from the teaching of Pastor Chico Goff. Thanks Chico!

“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” Proverbs 10:12(NKJV)

Have you ever been around someone who seems to be overcome by bitterness, anger, and even vengeful? These individuals have one main obsession in common – an unforgiving heart. At one time or another, the individual has felt they have been wronged. Unfortunately we all become ill-treated by someone on occasion; sometimes even by someone we love. Where it becomes an issue of sin is when we find ourselves holding onto grudges wanting to take revenge on those who have wronged us. The sin the other person had done to us becomes deep rooted sin within our own heart because we failed to give the transgression the person had committed toward us to the Lord. We failed to forgive the offender.

I know all too well how one can become so miserable because I too had an unforgiving heart at one time. I grew up in an abusive home. I found it extremely difficult to forgive my father. At the same time I was raised around bitter women who held grudges over those who had wronged them. In my late teens I realized I did not want to become a bitter woman like them, so I knew I would need to make some changes within my own heart. After all, I knew how difficult it was being around these bitter women and I did not want to repeat their mistakes and be miserable most of my life as well as make those around me miserable. “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9 (NLT)

My husband, Jim, helped me understand the real meaning of forgiveness. He showed me through God’s Word that forgiveness was the only way to true happiness, peace, loving kindness, and joy. If a perfect God could forgive a sinner like me, as well as all the sinners of this world, then how can I, a sinner, not forgive another sinner? “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Mark 11:25 (NLT). Jim explained that forgiving my father was not saying that what he did was right, or never happened, but rather, it is saying, ‘I forgive you who cause the transgression, and relinquish you and the hurt and pain you have caused me to our heavenly Father.’ Said a different way, “When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.” Catherine Ponder. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Lewis B. Smedes.

At first I did not understand how I could forgive my father when he never asked for forgiveness in the first place. But forgiving my father was more for me, my happiness and my relationship with the Lord than for my dad’s sake. I had to realize that it was not up to me to punish my dad, or even seek revenge. The Bible says, “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD” Romans 12:19 (NLT).

If there is an offense that someone has done that is truly illegal such as a murderer, rapist, abuser, etc. then they should be punished by the law for their crime. Forgiving the offender is more about having a clear conscience and a pure heart. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31, 32 (NKJV).

All the above mentioned is also true when we are the offender and we find it difficult to forgive ourselves. “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.” Romans 4:7 (NLT). We need to learn from our own mistakes and move on and stop punishing ourselves. I have to confess that this is an area I need to practice. I find it more difficult to forgive myself for my failures and offenses than it is to forgive those who have offended me.

Whether we need to forgive ourselves or someone else, in so doing, all bitterness will be gone and the joy of our salvation returns to us. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12 (NIV).

My pray for you today is; “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV). Amen.

Devotion is tip #7 in 12 Steps To Finding and Staying Joyful

This is perhaps one of the most significant life changing verses in the Bible for me in recent years. I desired, no, I NEEDED revival in my life. A total transformation was needed in order to be set free from the bondage of my past.

It became necessary for me to become totally transparent with myself and others. The Lord began to work in my life. I appeared to be like an onion in the hands of a Master Chef. He peeled back layers of sin that stood in the way of intimacy with Him.

My ultimate goal in this process was to have the Lord in His proper place in my life. I needed Him to move me out of the way so He could have first place in my life. It was (is) a painful process. It will not be over until He calls me home and I am no longer in the presence of sin.

As I read John chapter 3 this morning, I thought it to be a beautiful picture of being contrite and lowly. I had never actually looked at it through that lens before. John 3:1-21 I was reminded of His finished work on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I could do nothing to remove myself out from under this penalty. I could not ascend into heaven on my own good merits, but rather He had to humble Himself and come down to redeem me. When I received Christ as my Savior, when I believed He paid the penalty price for all my sin, I became justified in His sight. The past was reconciled. I could now have a relationship with Him.

But for years that relationship had a barrier. I wanted to be close to Him but I kept falling prey to the same traps. The daily sanctification process, the process of being freed from the power of sin in the here and now, was being hindered by someone very close to me. Someone who had (and still has) great influence in my life. This person stood in the way of me having a close relationship with the Lord.

That person is me. My will has to be broken. My will has to be humbled. My will has to be decreased so He can be increased – high and lifted up in my life. John 3:30,31 says it so clearly, “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” I must be moved out of the way so He can be increased and seen in my life. I must decrease so He can have His way in me and be glorified.

John 3:36 sums up the ultimate reward of this process we call glorification – that moment when we will be removed from the presence of sin. “He who believes in the Son has (possesses now) eternal life.” We receive that promise of eternal life when we receive Christ as Savior. We are sealed by His Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:113,14). That promise is eternal life with Him.

During this time of sanctification, I need to be reminded daily of my need for Him in my life. More of Him and less of me. I need to daily pray:

Move Me Out of the Way, Lord

I run to the front

To take the control

But in the end

It’s harm to my soul.

I must be in charge

I think I know best

“It’s my life,” I say.

I’m leading the quest.

Who knows me better

Than I know me

Though you look

You do not see.

There’s only one

Who truly sees me

He knows who I am

And who I could be.

The author and finisher

Of my holy faith

The love of my life

He receives all my praise.

He truly sees me

The intent of my heart

He understands all

He sees not in part.

The depth of His love
For this wretched (wo)man

It boggles my mind

So I don’t understand.

Why I insist

On running my life

When in the end

It cuts like a knife.

When I look upon

The wreckage I’ve wrought

It all came to ruin

It all came to naught.

It’s come to the point

Where All I can say

Is move me, dear Lord

Move ME out of the way.

Make me decrease

Make me small

Make me, in the end

The least of all.

Subdue my ego

O’ Lord bind my pride

Have your way, Father

Just move me aside.

To you be the glory

Creator of life

The Author of peace

Moderator of strife.

Flesh cries to be seen

Pride desires to be known

But I know the glory

Is Yours alone.

So, Lord hear my plea and answer me true.

Keep me from running ahead of You.

Move me to the rear, drive me to my knees.

Lead me to the light, move me Father, please.

~ Poem by: Norris K. Oler~