Refuge for a Single Mom

Yowsers!  When I mentioned the recent tests of unconditional love, forgiveness and tolerance, little did I know I`d be practicing it ONE MORE time that very same day!  I found myself climbing out of a warm toasty bed and heading back on the road, driving 45 minutes, one-way to pick up my son early from visitation with his father because he was `abandoned` on Easter Sunday!  Geez!

I`ve got to be totally honest with you gals . . . I was ticked!  -To say the least!  These guys get very little time together as it is (Dad`s doing – not ours) and the one time they`ve had, one of few holidays they had together . . . and my ex decides to give someone else priority over his son?

How appropriate is it that the very same day this was all happening, Christians around the world were recognizing the crucifixion and celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

Some of the last words Jesus spoke on that cross were of forgiveness for his enemies, for people that were brutally attacking, taunting, robbing and disrespecting him!

But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.  Luke 23:34

Man, I wanted so badly to get angry, say nasty things, lash out, pick a fight – whatever it took to relieve the flesh of all this hostility!

What did I do?  Nothing!  -Well, nothing that surrendered to the flesh anyway!  I prayed!  And prayed!  The entire 45 minute drive, I prayed to my Lord and asked Him for help!  Help to forgive, overlook, tolerate and love my ex-husband, no matter how angry this most recent incident made me!

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Matthew 18:21-22

The enemy kept attacking me though!  He tried and tried to stir up all the anger and bitterness!  But we can`t let him get away with that Sisters!  Keep praying and seeking God`s love . . . God`s forgiveness . . . God`s tolerance!  Through Christ, all things are possible!  Even loving, forgiving and tolerating those who wrong us!  Even those who wrong our children!

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13

How interesting that the very same day I had spent in church learning of my Savior`s tolerance and forgiveness, should I be tested over and over again to do the same?

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of  peace.  Ephesians 4:1-3

Obviously, we just can`t take on these struggles by ourselves!  We are just human beings, initially driven by the flesh, influenced by the world that we live in!

We have to overcome all this `junk` that surrounds us and fill our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits with God.  Everything about us should be filtered through the Holy Spirit!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart. Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:12

Labels: Forgiveness, Tolerance, Unconditional Love

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  I Corinthians 13:1-7

After mentioning this in my last post, I thought I`d reflect on it a bit more.  I feel that God is dealing with me on this and I am seriously struggling with it!

Initially, when I mentioned this, little did I know that I would yet again be tested in this area over the weekend!  *wink*

First of all, I was compelled to invite my father to Easter Sunday service.  (Daddy  isn`t saved and another one of his brothers passed away this week.)  Although very fearful, I worked up the nerve and invited him.  (I even played the `how much do you love me` card!)  Needless to say, Dad shot me down!  I have since decided that I am old enough to quit vying for my Daddy`s love and respect and quit mulling over the disappointment and heartache of the past!  It is time to embark on a serious mission, pull out all the punches and do everything I can to minister to my Dad and help him find his way to Jesus Christ.  –The time for subtle pleasantries is over!

Second, I witnessed the display of some really sad behaviors over the weekend!  I saw children and adults do some pretty `unlovable` things!

So, I have to tell you some things the Lord is teaching me about myself and some things that I`m personally working very hard to overcome!

I realized that by getting angry, irritable, annoyed or whatever else - I am sinning!  Most importantly, I am judging these people.  I am evaluating, analyzing, observing and whatever other justification you can come up with AND I am judging!  Newsflash!  That`s a sin!

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.  Romans 2:1

I have no place to pass judgment on anyone or their actions.  I have to overlook the transgressions of the flesh (which none of us are above) and love through the eyes of God, love with a heart filled with the Holy Spirit!  Love the unlovable!

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.  I Peter 4:8

This is SO hard!  You think about how much you love your children . . . it`s SO easy to love them when they`re cuddly, kissin` & huggin` on you or when they are peacefully sleeping in their beds!  But it is SO hard to love them when they are screaming or throwing a miserable temper tantrum in the middle of the doctor`s office or the grocery store!  Amen?  But guess what?  We do it - don`t we?  It`s that unconditional love that we have for our children and that God has for us!  Praise God!

Well, here`s another newsflash!  We are supposed to love everyone that way!

17 `You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18 `You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.  Leviticus 19:17-18

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Romans 12:9-13

Labels: Unconditional Love