May 19, 2024

Resolution for Women: No More Circles

August 16, 2012 by

Is this where we find ourself each day?   Is our life haunting us?  Sometimes no matter where we are today, our past, our yesterdays or our years ago seem to crop up in our thoughts and sometimes in our actions because we never truly dealt with the “burdens of unforgiveness” that are buried in the crevices of our heart. The memories are always near the surface.

Do you know what the word burden means?  Websters defines it as something that is carried, a load, something oppressive or worrisome.   Priscilla describes it on Pg. 137 as something that weighs you down, it sits on you, restricts you from enjoying the new phases/freedoms that each season of life brings your way.

This is exactly what unforgiveness does in our life.  It brings a burden upon us. It forces us to stay one dimensional.  It keeps us repeating the same things round and round in circles and never allows us to move past “that place” because we can’t or won’t get rid of unforgiveness within us.

Why do we want to hold on to unforgiveness?   Is it because we still want others to know we haven’t forgotten the hurt they caused us?  I don’t know the answer to that question for everyone but each of us could answer it for ourselves.   Maybe part of the reason is pride, maybe we feel if we forgive that person we are saying that person had the right to do wrong to me.  Does that really matter anymore? Don’t we want freedom from it?  After all we are the ones who are miserable from it not them.

Our lesson today has taught us three ways that forgiveness is reached through a combination of actions:

  1. We must refuse to store up or harbor grudges–don’t hold a debt over someones head or keep records of their wrongdoings-clear the decks and stop counting.
  2. We must leave room for God to act on our behalf —refuse the urge to retaliate, trust God to handle  the issues.
  3. We must pray—pray for God to empower you to forgive, you can’t do it on your own strength.

I want to expand a little more on why we should forgive.

  • Forgiveness is a pleasurable experience—did you know God designed forgiveness as a powerful blessing for us who have been hurt-did you know truly forgiving others can make us “more happy” than if we’d never been hurt.
  • Forgiveness removes us from being entangled in the thing that hurt us—it sets us free from being bogged down or carrying baggage around-it gives us a terrific feeling-it helps us understand how God feels when He forgives us.
  • Forgiveness allows us to open our self to the spectacular possibilities for a happy life-to open the curtain on what was dark and hurting to light and life and peace—aren’t we ready for some peace?
  • Forgiveness allows us to LOVE again—to love and be loved—forgiveness is tough – but love is more valuable than the pain of unforgiveness.
  • Forgiveness will set a prisoner free and we will discover that prisoner is us.

Let’s FORGIVE and leave all the rest to God to deal with.

Instead of continuing to re-hash old wounds/old hurts,  instead of going around in circles let’s come full circle and do as God’s Word instructs us:

Colossians 3:13 “Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

We learned in this lesson that being a woman resolved to forgive can do the following:  save friendships, rescue marriages, restore relationships, rebuild lives, refurbish businesses, help us to regain our very own self, allow us to live FREELY, LOVINGLY and WITH JOY!    — This is the mission of this resolution, this is its purpose, for us to offer and extend “forgiveness” just as He has so wonderfully, abundantly and outlandishly poured out “forgiveness” for each of us.

  • Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself, not something you do for someone else.
  • To refuse to forgive means you are choosing to remain the victim – the hurts won’t heal until you forgive.

*****Let’s resolve to be forgiven as well as forgive*****

Your assignment:   As you move forward with answering the questions in your study on Pg. 143 to be able to sign your resolution for this week – please take note that this is a journey that may take time and some counsel even – be willing to seek help so you fully understand and experience the benefits that “forgiveness” is designed to give and when you are ready (prayed up and committed) sign your name in the resolution box.

Let’s Pray:   Thank you Lord for your special gift of “forgiveness”, help us not to continue going in circles in this path of unforgiveness but help us to release all that we are holding onto so we can begin to experience the freedom that “forgiveness”  brings.

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love to all,

Beverly

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here:www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , ,

Resolution for Women: Underneath It All

August 9, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

“out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”

Luke 6:45

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I am sure that all of you have seen a picture of a crack in the earth when an earthquake is about to happen, if not, here is a picture of one when it hits.

And next is a picture of the sheer devastation after the earthquake has hit full force.

_________________________

These pictures are what came into my mind as I was studying this lesson.  As our lesson stated,  “the cracks are merely symptoms of a more serious condition that is underneath”.

The only way to remedy complete and utter disaster by this thing called “our tongue” is to address the foundation, structural issues that could possibly cause an eruption.    Our lesson states that controlling our tongue is a quest.

As we continue on this quest to determine how we can uncover what is hidden we will begin to see that “the cracks” are actually symptoms of a much deeper, more difficult problem that we must fix in order to be the blessing to others like God is wanting and asking us to be.

I Love what Priscilla says on page 122,  “Our mouth is like a barometer, it will tell us and others whether we are truly immersed in humility and surrendered in obedience to God or if we are housing a malnourished spirit that stubbornly refuses to yield to the wisdom of God’s own Word”.

She tells us we need to take inventory of our tongues track record and use that as an instructive way for us to uncover what is hidden within, and here is the list of questions that she gave us to use as our inventory check list:

  1. Are we always quick to offer an opinion into conversations at every opportunity?
  2. Are we constantly critical and demeaning in our spoken sentiments?
  3. Do we frequently find ourself quarreling with our spouse or being divisive among others?
  4. Does gossip continue to come easily for us?
  5. Do our words often reveal a doubtful, skeptical outlook?

The words we use on our lips are just like the first picture in this post “they reveal what is going on in our foundation”

Here are some tongue facts for you that I thought you might enjoy knowing:

  1. Our tongue is the strongest muscle in our body.
  2. Our tongue is the only muscle in our body that is attached only on one end.
  3. 50% of the bacteria in our mouth lives on the surface of our tongue.
  4. Every person has a unique tongue print.

Our tongue may be a small part of our body, but it can cause huge devastation just like in the second picture in this post.  We use this tongue to demean others and then in another breath we use it to praise our Lord.    With the most powerful muscle in our body, we can either say negative things, degrade someone, cut someone down, or we can build up, edify, encourage and uplift someone.  Our Words  have power and those words come from our tongues.  We have the ability to control how that muscle is used whether it will be used for good or bad but often we let it move unrestrained and without much thought and that is when the cracks start appearing in our foundation.

Over the past few years I have truly sought out how I speak to others, and God has used many things in my life to change “my tongue” and one of them sometimes has been “silence”  and  another has been to “listen”.   When I make exerted efforts to do both of these, I begin to find what is “underneath it all”, I find where my cracks are beginning to surface, and how He is using these two tools to change my foundation, to help repair what is there so that no eruptions come forth.

Priscilla tells us on Pg.125 as we soak in His Word we can expect to have a deep reservoir filled with all the treasures needed to help temper our conversations with wisdom, kindness and humility.  She also reminds us that its not just about watching our mouth, but watching our heart and that any lasting change we make in controlling our tongue must start at the base, the foundation, down where the cracks are forming.

One great verse that Robin gave us weeks ago when we were doing the study on our words and it has stuck with me since that day and is posted at my desk at work and other places is “Set a guard over my mouth Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips”. Psalms 141:3 NIV…..this verse gave me a foundational structure to help me build this new work God is doing in my life and this week of lessons has taught me how I can be a blessing to others (with my time, my concern and my full attention) and to do all those well I need good ears and a good tongue…..so yep these are areas I am working on giving to HIM first so I can bless others with them next…

 Your assignment for today:   Take the tongue inventory test talked about above and “Before signing your name to the “My Blessing” resolution, consider what changes you may need to make in order to be the person who is “quick to listen and slow to speak” make those adjustments and when you are ready to commit it to God, then sign your name on the dotted line.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,    I praise you for this little member of our body “the tongue”. It can destroy but it can also build up and I pray for each of us that we look for where our foundation is cracking within our tongue and show us how to get it repaired so that each of us can use this little muscle to be a blessing to others.   Amen.

___________________

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love ya’ll

Beverly

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , ,
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