Change it or forget about it!

If it is true what they say about you - do something about it. If it is not true, forget it! -Croft M Pentz
Why do we wrap so much of ourselves in what others think, why do others think they know our hearts and motives? Why when we hurt do we want fairness and justice? God loves justice, certainly but he's forgiving, too. Sometimes we forget that they go together, sometimes we just are so glad 'they got theirs,' or are still waiting for them 'to get theirs,' that we have forgotten to forgive. And we end up being the ones suffering the whole time, an injustice we put ourselves through. I spent time in this bondage and it's horrible. It made me ugly and to those that loved on me during this time, thank God for your encouragement. Thank you for not turning your backs on the monster I had become.

There is good and bad in all of us, we are all precious as we are. I'm glad that God will convict us when we are wrong and teach us, and I'm glad that his forgiveness come quickly and his love is so strong, I am blown away.

I was reading n Hosea today, chapter 11 to be exact. God's love is great, greater than I can even grasp, mind blowing depth. I cried at how much MY sin devastates him, I wish all the black parts of my heart were cut out, never to grow again. How can he forgive me after all I have done? It is more than I can understand or grasp but I feel called to try my best to extend that forgiveness to others. I know my best, isn't even close so I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me extend that grace to others.

My heart was hurt so badly then, I wasn't even letting God in to heal it. I had to keep it bound and let it hurt so I could remember the injustices done to me and in the end I suffered. I am sure God was heart sick, wanting to help me heal and desperately wanting me to forgive so I could move on.

You cannot build your mansion in heaven with mud you throw at others. -Croft M Pentz
Don't let what others have done or do to you, get in the way of the grace God extends you. Don't get caught in the trap of "do unto others as they do unto you." REMEMBER, it's is really do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Take those hurts to God, not to your friends, that is a lie the evil one feeds us, 'you have to tell someone.' If you are telling God, you have told more than someone, you have told the God of the universe and he can do something about it!

Tattletale to God...it's okay and RIGHT!

So at Bible study this past week, someone said to tattle to God. I really liked it and it seems like a great idea so I started. I just out and out whine to him. Sadly, I have learned something VERY scary about myself and for the record, I DON'T like it. I would rather call my aunt Sue or my friend and tell them what I am supposed to be tattling to God. I suppose in some sick way I think it makes me look better but it doesn't. It trashes the other person, who may have had something horrible going one, or didn't mean at all what I thought was meant by their actions and words and to top it off, lets everyone listening to me trashing that person know that I may in due time do it to them. I say 'trashing' because when you only show the negative side of others, I think that is trashing. My husband is a good man, if we have a conflict and I call my friend to share how badly he acted on one isolated occaision and she hasn't been around us to know him, I have tainted her opinion and thoughts about my husband. His goodness may not ever be able to be seen by her and I am sad just at the thought of that. I need to repent of many times I was unrighteous in this area, and I pray that others who are hearing the trashing/gossiping that we sometimes engage in will stop it by encouraging prayer at that moment. Pray for healing the hurts, letting the spirit guide our tounges and the other person, lift them up to the heavens so God will hear and help.

The bible gives clear rules on how to deal with conflict. Check out Matthew 18:15-20
A Brother Who Sins Against You
15"If your brother sins against you,[a] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'[b] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[c]bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Here is my resolution, now it's on the web for all to see and hold me accountable to.
So until I am ready to go to the person I am upset with, I will stick with tattling to God and LISTEN as he will speak to me and counsel me. I won't gossip(it can become that, especially sice we can't know anothers heart) or slander others, I will forgive and lovc. I love how easy it seems right now. I really think it is an ugly attribute and I want to change...pray for me. Encourage me.

I just read this quote and I think it is awesome! "You cannot build your mansion in heaven with mud you throw at others." -Croft M Pentz