Relationships can take any form. From romantic relationships, marriages to friends or close families that have just drifted apart over time or due to specific problems. The Lord helps us cure all wounds if we follow the lead of Jesus. One of the things I have found that ruins all kinds of relationships is STUBBORNESS. Especially when you are the one who has been wronged. It is so easy and normal to hold on to our grudges, to feel right and vindicated in our refusal to forgive, but this feeling is not Godly.
I know how difficult it is to forgive. I know how much time can be wasted holding on to pain that someone did to us in the past, but if this past year–of coronavirus has taught me anything, it is that, I don’t want to waste any more time. Unforgiveness sucks the life and the joy out of you. While you may feel like you are justified in holding unto your pain, you are only hurting yourself. Think about all the times you fall short of what you KNOW, God is telling you to do, and yet, God keeps on forgiving you.
The disciples ask Jesus, “master how many times shall we forgive, is it 7 times?” to which Jesus responds, “not 7 but 70 x 7” (Matthew 18:21). There is no limit to forgiveness. Relationships are not just about husbands and wives, someone is praying for their children right now; perhaps the relationship that needs healing is the one with your sibling. I know people who haven’t spoken to their brother and sisters in over 15 years! God is calling you to heal and reconcile.
I have fallen into the spirit of stubbornness, I’ve been running around ranting about all I did for a family member, and how dare he not be grateful – his gratefulness should not be measured by me and in inability to show gratefulness should not be judge by me. I surrender today!
A bell is not a bell till you ring it, A song is not a song till you sing it, Love in your heart is not put there to stay, Love is not love till you give it away.
Jesus is the Storm Bender. This story brings to mind something I read: The question is never, “Are you in a storm?” The question is, “Is Jesus in your boat?”
Jesus is the water-transforming, dead-raising, sick-healing, hope-giving, food-providing, resurrecting mankind, saving Son of God.
Hey folks as we celebrate this glorious day, I must admit as I reflect on the year 2020 I’m feeling some pain… but I know where my strengths come from and one of those outlets is music… Allow me to share how to get comfort when you’re in the rain of life’s trials and tribulations…
When the lights are down And the stage is bare And no more magic’s in the air There’s not a friend in sight to care Your tears no one will share I’ll be your comfort through your pain I’ll be your shelter in the rain
When your sad is bad and your bad is worst And there’s no who to turn to first When you’ve done everything you can No one’s there to take your hand I’ll be you comfort through your pain I’ll be your shelter in the rain
When you’ve looked around And haven’t seen me anywhere Though when you were down I lifted you up from there There isn’t a thing you can ask of me I won’t do Just you put your trust in me My love will see you through
When the final candle’s flickered out “Why me” is all you can think about When all your joy has disappeared Your future isn’t clear I’ll be you comfort through your pain I’ll be your shelter in the rain
When all the odds say there’s no chance Amidst the final dance I’ll be you comfort through your pain I’ll be your shelter in the rain I’ll be you comfort through your pain Yes, I’ll be your shelter in the rain, rain I’ll be your shelter, Be your shelter, be your shelter in the rain
I’m a lover of music, all genres but the one close to my heart is Gospel music. The lyrics have a way of moving my spirit. For example, if I’m feeling blessed the music can enhance that feeling, if I’m feeling lost and in despair, the music can lift my spirits. As I was traveling home the other day from the grocery store a song came on There He Is and as I listened to the words I began to tear. This world can seem overwhelming alone and cold during our current crisis of the pandemic and the government behaving like caged animals with no thought to the human condition. There was a time when the government took care of its citizens – dating to colonial days, the almshouse, in the United States, a locally administered public institution for homeless, aged persons without means. Such institutions radically declined in number in the second half of the 20th century, replaced by other means of subsistence and care more commonly known as section 8 and food stamps which does not help the homeless on the street. With that said I began to feel a sense of gratitude – the more I listened to the song the more I realized where my gratitude stemmed from.
One thing I like to do is share how I focus on the lyrics of the song and disclose what they mean to me, so here goes…
Lyrics to the song in black:
I wanna know I need to remember who guides my life I wanna know I wanna know
Who is the man who said He could save What He’s can/will do And Who took my dark clouds away And who said that they would bring joy to my day And who said they’d wash all my sins away Now who touched my heart and changed my life And who is this One that sacrificed Well, who heard my prayers in the middle of the night And when I was blind who opened my eyes
Chorus Oh, there He is Where is He Reach out and touch Him There He is Call out His name There He is Don’t be afraid There He is Look up in the sky There He is It’s a bird it’s a plane There He is No it’s Jesus There He is Coming to save me There He is Hallelujah
MmmmmmThis is not a representation of pain, but that of peace Mmmmmm
I wanna know I wanna know I wanna know
Now who told the Son to set me free What He has done for me before I knew Him Who laid down and died on Calvary And who said the homeless was the same as me Who took solid ground and placed my feet And who gave the purpose and reason to sing Who gave the music melody When trouble was chasing who parted my sea Somebody talk to me where is this King
Chorus
If you are young man strugglin’ Identification this is me, is it you? Or a younger girl seekin’ You don’t have to search no more Just look to the arms of Jesus You can get Him for yourself You don’t need nobody else Jesus fall to your knees and pray
Searchin’ for Jesus
Lookin’ for Jesus
Searchin’ for Jesus
Lookin’ for Jesus
Searchin’ for Jesus
Lookin’ for Jesus
Searchin’ for Jesus
And you looking for Jesus, searching for Jesus
Chorus
There He is If you ever search for Him, He’s right there Wherever I go There He is Wherever I turn There He is He’s all around There He is Reach out and touch Him There He is He’s right there There He is And He’s guaranteed to answer There He is All of your prayers There He is I can feel Him There He is Whoa yeah There He is He’s changing your life right now There He is Oh yes He is There He is There He is There He is When troubles come There He is Just close your eyes There He is And lift your head There He is Towards the sky There He is Just call on Him There He is And you shall find There He is He was there There He is All of the time There He is If your friends are around There He is Then you somewhere by yourself There He is Call on His name There He is He will be right there There He is No matter what the problem There He is Or the situation There He is My Jesus can fix it There He is With no hesitation There He is If your money is gone There He is And you need some help There He is On your dying bed There He is You’re not by yourself Everywhere you turn Everywhere you turn Everywhere you turn Everywhere you turn Everywhere you go Everywhere you go All around And when you walk There He is When you talk There He is And when you cry There He is Go down on your knees and call on Him Jesus reach out and touch and believe He’s right there There He is And you can do all things through Christ Jesus that strengthens you There He Is
That’s unshakable, and when all our earthly foundations are crumbling, we have to hold on tight to the certainty that God is still sovereign, He is still in control, and He is trustworthy. Hebrews 12 gives us further good advice, as we see everything around us shaking and uncertain.
In Psalm 11:3 David asked the question: When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? Do you feel as though your foundations are being destroyed? Perhaps relationships you had counted on have fallen apart. Maybe your family foundations are beginning to shake. What can we do when our foundations are shaking?
The earthquakes which happen all around the world remind us that the earth beneath our feet is not reliable, our economy is like a roller-coaster, ethics and morality which were basic to our national heritage are quickly disappearing, and personal relationships seem to be under heavy attack.
It should not surprise us to discover that all created things are shakable. That piece of land you own, the house in which you live, the job you go to each day, your money in the bank, your investments in the stock market, that relationship which means so much to you–all of those created things are shakable.
Hebrews 12:28 – 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
