Yesterday evening, after 1 (maybe 2) swigs of Tennessee Jack Daniels whiskey (with honey,) I realized how much anger and resentment I have been carrying in my heart towards a certain someone.[If you want the juicy details, you are reading the wrong blog post.]
On a side note, if by now you haven't noticed, I will write about Jesus and Tennessee whiskey from time to time. You can totally judge me if you want, considering I typically ask you to reserve such judgement. Sipping a nip of whiskey runs deep in my family, especially when you've been battling a cough like I have. I highly recommend it when you are sick.
Anyways, back to the deep, rooted anger part....
I have been down right PO'd at a certain someone who hurt me deeply. I've not been exactly quiet about my disdain but have worked really, really hard to not sow discord.
As Paul and I are preparing for this next new chapter of Vinterest Antiques, and I hear all the sweet comments and encouraging words from friends and new friends we've made in the process, I get a ton of motivation. It also, however, puts a lot of pressure on an ole' guy and gal like the Mr. and I to succeed. So, we both take this opportunity we've been given very seriously. After all, we are "going for broke," so I treat it like a God-given responsibility that Paul and I have been given to help change lives (including our own.)
So last night, as I was laying in bed and was reading some previous blogs and comments, there it was.... a correspondence between this person and I almost exactly 2 years ago. In this exchange, we were lifting each other up in Christ.
Honestly, I thought I had deleted any history of this person in my life (including comments.)
My heart then whispered, "you will never achieve all that I have planned for you until you release the resentment that's living in your heart because you're making it hard for me to live there too."
I knew right then what I needed to do.
So I wrote her, copying the correspondence, and told her I was hurt and angry but meant what I said when I prayed for her God-given dreams to come true then (in 2013) and I just wanted her to know that I meant it still today.
She sent back a response, and I sent back a short response, and years of hurt and resentment ended just like that with just a simple emoticon smiley face.
Matthew 11: 25- And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
We will never be friends again, but through that simple exchange, the chains that I didn't know even existed busted loose around my heart.
With all that said, I found the following quote from Marianne Williamson that I believe ties the bow on my story on forgiveness. If like me, you are struggling with forgiveness as well, leave a comment! I will pray for you to get your moment soon when you realize it's time. You don't have to go into specifics, but I think acknowledging it's there is step 1 to peace.
Now, we can all "carry on and be awesome!"
No comments:
Post a Comment