Wednesday, August 09, 2006

His Work, My Heart...













I know I haven't been so regular about posting...but life happens and gets in the midst of things, right?

No, God's been teaching me things and revealing some things to me. He's changing me, shaping me, molding me into someone better. One of the "issues" he's been dealing with me a lot lately is forgiveness. It's strange, because a friend of mine has been reading Wild at Heart. This morning, I picked up the book and read a piece in the chapter Healing the Wound. And as we chatted tonight, he mentioned something about it and how God was dealing with him in that area! I thought it was neat!

Anyway, in this chapter John Eldredge says...

You must understand: Forgiveness is a choice. It is not a feeling, but an at of the will. As Neil Anderson has written, "Don't wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving; you will never get there. Feelings take time to heal after the choice to forgive is made." We allow God to bring the hurt up from our past, for "if your forgiveness doesn't visit the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete." We acknowledge that it hurt, that it mattered, and we choose to extend forgiveness. This is not saying, "It didn't really matter"; it is not saying, "I probably deserved it anyway." Forgiveness says, "It was wrong, it mattered, and I release you."

Wow, forgiveness is actually realizing and admitting that what someone did to you hurt...a lot! I'm the type that likes to go on, pretend it never happened. But, it finds some nasty ways to "reveal" the hurt! What's your way of dealing with it? Do you get angry? Perhaps you lash out at others? Maybe you try to ignore it, until it all builds in and the steam just finally explodes all over an innocent person? It's so hard for me to admit it, because it means I opened myself up, I was vulnerable to it, to someone.

Another thing He's been working with me on is giving people the benefit of the doubt. You see, one of my spiritual gifts is discernment - I can usuallyjudge someone's character and will be right about 90% of the time. Not to brag or say how awesome I am, but that's just a gift He blessed me with. But sometimes in that, I have the potential to judge other 10% and not give them a chance to "redeem" themselves after my judgment has been passed! LOL But He's been working with on this, as Natalie Grant's Another Day lyrics go...

Another day to make somebody smile
To go the extra mile
To take a wrong and make it right
Yeh, I’m tryin’ to touch somebody’s life
I get another day


As I've been listening to the song, the part where it says, to take a wrong and make it right just really seems to get to me. When I listen to a song, I visualize the Sign Language that would accompany it. And the words I would use to communicate it would be the same to communicate to take an evil, a sin, a bad and change it to good, blessing, love. Not only am I taking the wrong away, but I'm putting a blessing in it's place.

When I judge someone so rashly and their intentions are better than I judge, I in fact did them wrong. Not that I need to stop looking at people adiscerninging what I feel, but that I need to be able to take a step back and admit I might not have it all figured out.

That's where I need to have the guts to say, "Hey, I mis-judged who they were, what they are. It's time to re-examine what they meant and what I feel." Guys, it's so incredibly hard to do that. But, it's a must.

Why can't people just be themselves and not have to worry about hiding their intentions? I would think that changing from the inside out would be so much easier than trying to "hide"...then people don't have to all the time worry about others knowing the real them, discovering they are just a fake.

18 Comments:

Blogger Radical One said...

you stole my pictures, silly girl!

great post, btw. what you're saying is so true and so hard. proud of you for being wise enough to realize the importance of forgiveness.

stay sweet and keep it real!

blessings!

Wed Aug 09, 02:05:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Hannah said...

I enjoyed your post and you are so right about forgiveness. Someone once told me that forgiveness is not holding the person accountable for the wrong they had done -- in other words, not hanging it over their heads, making them pay, continually bring it up, etc. The biggest help for me in forgiving is to realize how Christ forgave me -- I am a sinner, I did/do nothing to deserve to be forgiven and Christ has forgiven me. He was perfect and he forgave me -- Eph. 4:32 "...forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." What right would I have to not forgive others? I would be happy to talk to you more about this if you want to email.

Have a great day in God's grace and forgiveness :-).

Wed Aug 09, 09:08:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Nathan L. said...

Sweet Post! I must say that forgiveness is not at all easy for me to do, but definately very important. The crazy thing is, the preacher preached on that exact thing last night!

Wed Aug 09, 09:33:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Dionna said...

Neat post - Maegan. God is working on me with forgiveness as well. I think I'm at the point where I want to make that choice, but am just dealing with the follow-up time it takes to actually heal.

Wed Aug 09, 10:28:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Gordon said...

Great post, Maegan. I'm glad to hear that God is working in your life.

BTW, you've been tagged. Come by my blog to check it out.

Wed Aug 09, 11:38:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Looney Mom™ said...

I just can't get over the wisdom that comes from you at such a young age. I keep praying for my own children to truly love and seek God the way you do.

Your parents are blessed indeed. Of course, because they have been so diligent in raising you "the way you should go," so are you. God bless you all.

Wed Aug 09, 01:17:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Kimber said...

love the pics of you guys dancing...yea - I finally get a glipse of you and your cute sis worshiping/dancing/signing :)

I love how God is molding and shaping you...you already so wise to examine your heart and realize what "TRUE FORGIVENESS" is all about!! LOVE IT!!

Miss ya'all!

Wed Aug 09, 01:55:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Jean-Luc Picard said...

Wise words and fine pictures, Maegan. Always a pleasure to visit.

Wed Aug 09, 03:12:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Crystal said...

Wow, great post girl! God is working with me on some things too. I love the worship dance pictures you guys look so into it! I love that you have a heart that seeks God in all you do. Luv ya!

Wed Aug 09, 09:49:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

What a great post! Found my way here from a comment you had posted on another blog, and thought I would stop in and say hello.

Wed Aug 09, 10:13:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Vicki said...

Awesome post, sweetie. God's light shines through you. Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos...I get to see what you've been up to! God bless you, my friend. I'll be back soon.

Wed Aug 09, 11:28:00 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You always know how to express thing very well.
It is hard sometimes to forgive something, because we are still hurt deep down. But if we don't say that we were hurt, the other person would just go on as nothing happened. I have been there a lot. Not only have I said or done something that might have hurt, but I was also on the receiving end.
Very sweet post. I am always blessed stopping by here.

Thu Aug 10, 02:06:00 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the blog. There is a free Forgiving CD at www.innertalk.com that can be a lot of help.

Thu Aug 10, 02:48:00 PM EDT  
Blogger cs said...

Hey,

It's been a long time since we've talked! I'm glad to hear that you are aware of the Spirit moving in you.

Remember, forgiveness is taking things in perspective. It's seeing where you stand in Christ and what you really deserve from God. Then showing the same love that Christ showed us to whomever has "wronged" us.

Colossians 3:12-14
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

I have a terrible time forgiving. I hold lots of grudges and don't give them up easily... But this summer was amazing when I fell flat on my face and saw where I was every bit as wrong as the other person for holding a grudge as they were for "wronging" me. Simply because who am I to say that I deserve something from anybody. Remember this, Galatians 6:1 (ESV) Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Thu Aug 10, 09:43:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Katelyn Ashley said...

Forgiveness, ah! Good subject. Underestimated by most. As in, "Yeah I forgive people. It's no problem," without really assessing the issue. I'm glad you shared what God is doing in your life with the issue of forgiveness. It's good to be vulnerable. God totally slapped me with that one. I love to appear strong and confident when really it's not always as it seems. Keep sharing life with others! Even the sucky parts because it's then that you grow stronger and find the will to carry on (or forgive).

Sun Aug 13, 01:52:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Nic said...

Love the pictures! Looks like a wonderful time sweet one. Hope that you are being truly blessed!

Love you dearest! :)

Sun Aug 13, 05:33:00 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You might have visited my site a few weeks ago, but anyway I am just now getting around to seeing yours. Love the pics, we have kinda the same "theme"!

Tue Aug 15, 12:48:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Codymo said...

Thanks for your post. I seem to have the gift of discernment as well. Even though I'm right sometimes I too, forget the chance of redemption. Christ each gave us that chance. Praises to Him for that. Making quick judgments is something I must work on too. Thanks for pointing that out.

Tue Aug 15, 01:04:00 AM EDT  

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