Do people ever make you MAD? Irritate you? Rub you the wrong way? Hurt your feelings? Betray you?

I recently listened to a mother and her grown daughter arguediscuss something that had happened twenty plus years ago. The daughter, harboring unforgiveness and bitterness, was still visibly angry at her mom for a past offense.

Talking to a close friend, she shared with me how irritated she was with her husband. Even though she confessed it was so silly, she still couldn’t get over her negative attitude and felt he was just being stubborn.

People, because they are HUMAN, will always disappoint us. We will be irritated. We will get angry. Our feelings will get hurt. So….what should we do?

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

Just like we physically PUT ON our pants, we must IN FAITH, put on these virtues. We purpose in our hearts to PUT ON Jesus Christ. When someone is hurting, we need to be compassionate, NOT judgemental. We need to be kind to others (not just smiling at the clerk at Target, but being sweet to our family members even when we don’t feel like it!). We need to wait patiently for others, even when our schedules are busy and our frustration levels are high.

We need to “bear” with one another….overlooking personalities quirks and giving people the grace to be themselves. And, we need to forgive as Jesus forgives. Thankfully, Christ doesn’t make me suffer a little more, making sure I am truly sorry. Jesus went to the cross before I was ever born, covering all my sins with His blood. He said, “Father forgive them for they KNOW NOT what they do.” Do I extend this grace and mercy to others, or do I blame, saying, “She should have known better!”

Then, over all of this, we are to put on LOVE.

Am I forgiving to those who don’t “deserve it”? Am I patient with the “sandpaper” people in my life? Am I loving to the “unlovely”?

We sometimes don’t FEEL like loving others. But, the Bible tells us that LOVE is more than a “feeling”….it’s a BEHAVIOR.

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

It does not envy, does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude.

It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1Corinthians 13:4-5)

Father God, thank You for Your example of unconditional love. Thank You for Your forgiveness. God, help me to put on Jesus, clothing myself in these virtues. Lord, I know I can’t live this way in MY strength, so I ask You Lord to help me live this out. I ask that the Holy Spirit would lead me and guide me, whispering to my heart when I need to be loving. Father, I ask that You pour out Your comfort and heal my wounds. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

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A few hours ago I held my teen daughter while she wept.

Why is it, friendships are sometimes hard? Why do girls say things that hurt? As I held her and wiped her face, I spoke softly into the top of her hair, “Sweetie, I wish I could tell you when you’re an adult, friendships get easier. But, some friendships are never easy.”

Betrayal

A confidence.

Betrayal

Of trust.

I wonder, how in the world, can I help her work through the pain. How do I show her that it is worth it to invest her heart with another friend in the future? Tough questions for which this Mom isn’t exactly sure how to answer.

So, what does a Mom do? We head to the movie theater.

As we stood in line for a large drink and popcorn all I could think to say was, “You know, Sweet Girl, I don’t know what to say about what happened. I only can tell you what I know to be true and what works.”

I leaned in close to her ear, “I have been betrayed by a close friend. The ONLY thing I knew to do was to ask Jesus to give me wisdom. I asked Him to tell me what to say when I see her again. Then the second thing I do is to ask Him to just hold me when it hurts.”

I leaned away from her and looked into her eyes. They were brimming and she was swallowing hard but her lips tilted with a crooked smile, a half grin/grimace and she then nodded in agreement, unable to speak.

We moved forward in line. She gained control and whispered, “I know Mom. I really know. I always have Jesus and He will never betray me.”

I could read the relief as is spread across her face. She’s gonna be okay.

I’m not so sure I will be. But, as I type these words the Holy Spirit is flooding my soul. What was set in motion over the last couple of days was part of a plan. You see, my daughter is certain to face betrayal again in her future. How like God to orchestrate this seemingly small conversation while standing in the concession line as a lesson she will cling to for the rest of her life. She will have the ability to cope. She will be empowered to forgive and to trust once again because she knows Jesus.

She also knows Jesus understands how she feels.
Luke 22:48 …but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

My daughter realizes the arms of Jesus are big enough to comfort.
2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Our world is broken and the Betrayer is relentlessly attempting to assail our hearts. But, if you will allow it, listen as our Lord moves closer and whispers in your ear.

“Sweet Girl, I know how you feel. My heart is broken every. single. day because you have been hurt. Trust me, I have your best interest at heart and I promise to give you wisdom to find the way through (James 1:5). My arms are big enough, strong enough to comfort (Psalm 71:21).”

The movie previews were rolling as we sat down. I glanced to my left and my teen was smiling. I smiled back then looked up and whispered, Thank you Lord. I leaned over to her with a big grin on my face and whispered, “Oh Girl, this is nothing. Wait until a boyfriend breaks your heart.”

“Gee, thanks Mom!”

We giggled. Ate popcorn. All is well with the world…..

….because our world is wrapped up in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…. the God of ALL COMFORT!

Be comforted this day and if you need prayers of comfort, I am your stand-in-the-gap gal this week. Email me today and I will bring your name before the throne. Be blessed, Lynn

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If you are like me…the time change brought a bit of anxiety over the fact that I was going to miss out on some precious sleep. SLEEP. That is something I really enjoy. A cozy couch in front of a fire…a soft blanket…and I am nodding off in no time flat. A bed with crisp clean sheets-nice and cool to the touch, and when my tired body finds rest there-I am asleep before you can count to 100. Yeah, it takes me a while..but I do enjoy the resting time.

For the disciples, in the garden, they had none of these, yet sleep captured their minds during their time of prayer. They were tired. They knew not of the scene that would shortly unfold before their eyes. Changing their lives forever.

…”and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He then took Peter, James and John and said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow-to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed…” (Matthew 26:36-38 italicized portion-Holman Christian Standard Version)

Verse 37 describes the feelings Jesus was having. Sorrowful and deeply distressed. There is no way sleep would come His way that night. He knew already what lay ahead. He was preparing —He was drawing strength from the Father. But this—this was something He did on a daily basis.

Not just crunch time.

Not just when the house is on fire.

Not just when the kids are sick.

Not just when the marriage is failing, the job is lost and the finances are disappearing. But every day. All hours of the day.

There was a time in my Christian walk, that my prayer life was lacking in a “dedicated” time. What I mean by that is, the emergencies brought about some serious praying! The other days….sort of hit and miss. But time changes things. And these things…change our prayer times.

There is not a day that passes that I don’t talk to the Father. Our conversations on occasions seem a bit onesided though. I talk—I pray…and sometimes forget to listen. But when He speaks…oh my—does it ever ring in my heart and head.

Today, while talking to someone, she shared with me that her friend was consumed with the changing times. He had lost thousands upon thousands of dollars in the recent economical decline. He was frustrated and depressed. She had encouraged him to get back in his Bible. To not neglect his church-nor his times of study and prayer. I told her that was all good, but one important thing he needed to do—stop listening to all the negative news. Yes, read the Bible! Yes, pray without ceasing! But stop feeding the soul all the negative news that is played non-stop. See, he was daily—every waking hour-listening to talk radio—reading the horrific forecast of our financial system. Instead of feeding his soul Christ, and how soon the eternal home was to the believers, he was feeding on the decay of our world.

I have purposefully steered my blog away from the economical situation. But I see it. I’m not blind to what is happening. Our lives have changes along with everyone else’s…as we each tighten our belts and do things differently. But I can’t dwell on that. What I must dwell on is doing ALL I can—at every opportunity God gives me for HIM. Reaching the lost. Telling of Christ’s love! And how He came to save them!

Yes, time did change. And the times are changing. But Christ—is the solid rock—on which we stand. All other ground is sinking sand. As the times change, let us change. Let’s become more dedicated to our prayer times. Let us become solidified in our faith walk. Let us share with others—love and care for one another more. We are pilgrims passing through this land—our home is just ahead. Keep heading that way.