Ripping Off the

Band-Aid

  

By:  Exec. Dir., Kathy A. Weckwerth

 

 

"Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.'" (Colossians 3:13)

 

My four-year-old grandson, Jonah, ran into the kitchen exclaiming that he needed help. Apparently, Jonah was outside riding his bike with Papa Dean, when his Band-Aid fell off.  He told me that it hurt to look at it.

All of a sudden, I was reminded of when I was twelve years old and attempted to figure out how to ride my new bicycle, a shiny blue ten-speed, crafted in France.

I remember a sunny summer's day, as I headed down the hill outside our home,  tried to brake to turn the corner, skidded on some gravel, lost control and was thrown onto the road. My bike went off onto the soft green grass, but my knee was scraped up badly. I quickly taped it up with a Band-Aid and headed back out to try again.

Two days later, when the Band-Aid fell off, I thought the same thing Jonah did today, it hurt to look at it.

Sometimes life is like this. We've been hurt badly, only to tape up the pain, quickly covering it up, and desperately try to forget about it. Until, a short while later, the bandage comes off and we see the jagged edges of a bad scrape. It hurts to look at it.

But when we don't look at a hurtful situation and fully consider every aspect of how to forgive and recover from it, the wound remains something that hurts to look at it.

If you're anything like me, you've had some major cuts and scrapes in this life. People have said unkind words, betrayed you, been jealous of you, tried to control you, or maybe they've just ousted you out of their lives. It's human nature. We hurt people. We get hurt.

Forgiveness is the first step in the healing process. Forgiveness is the ointment that goes on the sore. God's grace is the bandage that covers it up. And God's perfect will and timing comes in to remove the bandage at just the right time.

Take a moment today and look at the wounds of your soul. Band-Aids or scars? Grace or bitterness? It's time to release your hurts to God.

Sure, there will be a scar. There always is. But it won't be so bad to look at, if you begin with forgiveness.

Exec. Dir, Kathy A. Weckwerth

 For More From Executive Director, Kathy A. Weckwerth, log onto www.bestlifeministries.com to read her blog, "LifeLines." 

For more information about her speaking availabilty for your event, call 320-444-6082.

Pastor & Author, Max Lucado

 Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free

- Max Lucado

Five Steps to Forgiving, Forgetting, and Moving On With Your Best Life

Leave Your Baggage Behind

1.  FACE THE FACTS:  You've been hurt by someone.  Think about what made you feel offended.  Was there even a grain of truth in the situation?  Perhaps not, and someone was just acting out of sin.  But, if you have a role in the argument, or if you have a spirit that is easily offended, it's time to face up to what's happening inside your own heart.  Look at why this episode took place and try to learn from it.  Perhaps this is someone who you need to learn to deal with in an honest manner and let them know that they have hurt you.  Maybe it's someone that you won't see again.  Or perhaps, it's an ongoing dimlema with one of your children, parents, or your spouse. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed."  (James 5:16)

2.  FORGIVE:  Forgiving someone who has hurt us is alot of work.  It requires letting go of hurtful words and actions and really deals with the bottom line ...  our pride.  If we have the humility, patience, and persistence to follow God, we will release that anger to God and let go.  Being mad just holds us back from being our very BEST.  "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." (Mark 11:25)

3.  FOCUS:  When we are harboring anger and resentment against someone, it's time to reflect on how God continually forgives us and how His love never ends ... it runs deep!  If we focus on remembering what God does for us on a daily basis, it helps us to release to Him our thoughts and hurts, and allow Him to heal us. "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103: 12) 

4.  FORGET:  Sometimes people will say, "I can forgive, but I can't forget."  Perhaps that's true, but it seems like remembering the crime sets us right back to the same place ... in a prison of our own creation, because someone hurt us and we are mad.  Work on forgetting about the situation and moving past that.  Sometimes people just say the dumbest things at the most inopportune times.  Remembering and refocusing just sends us back into that cycle.  Time to forget it and move past it.  "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. " (II Corinthians 10:5)

5.  FOSTER A QUICK-TO-FORGIVE ATTITUDE:  It's easy to be overly sensitive.  In today's busy world, women are working, taking care of their families and homes, and running to many extracuricular events with church, friends, and children's events.  This makes us very susceptible to the enemy's attacks.  What better way to get to a tired woman than have someone say something that is hurtful, or act in a short, curt manner, or perhaps be self-absorbed and not gentle in spirit?  If we get out of our bed each day, committed to God that we will be loving, forgiving and not overly sensitive with an easily offended attitude, we'll have half the battle won!  Pray and ask God for a sensitive spirit to the needs of others, but to not have an overly-easily offended spirit towards others.  "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)

Photo By:  Alexis Iskierka

 

Forgiveness

is a two-way street

Is there someone in your life that is holding you captive because you are

so angry with them?  It might even be that when you think of them, you start feeling your pulse race and your tempature rise,  or maybe ... just maybe ....someone is hurt by you. 

Take a moment today and ask God to show you if you're harboring anger against someone, or if you've hurt someone who is harboring anger against you.

It's time to get rid of these useless emotions, and start investing in the here and now. 

It's time to start living

... Your Best Life.

"Oh, that my steps might be steady,  

     keeping to the course you set."  

                                                        Psalm 119: 5

                                                          The Message Bible 

Resources to Encourge You to Move From Anger ... to Forgiveness 

~When You've Been Wronged by Erwin Lutzer.  We found this at www.cbd.com  for $5.99

 ~Forgiveness:  Breaking the Power of the Past by Kay Arthur, and David & BJ Lawson.  We found this at barnesandnoble.com for $1.99

BLM'S Choice for Encouraging Songs~ itunes $.99

         Dara Maclean's "Suitcases"             Matthew West's "Forgiveness"

   Summer Days ... Summer Salads ...Summer Fun!  

Photo by:  Jenessa Grossman

Chandra's Best Chicken Salad 

2 cups fresh kale, chopped
1 chicken breast (marinated in Lemon Pepper)
1  clove of minced garlic
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp shaved parmesan cheese
pinch of thyme
coarse ground sea salt to taste 

Newsletter Archive Now Available

NEW! Read past issues of our newsletter online at www.bestlifeministies.com 

• April 2013  
• May 2013
• June 2013
• View entire archive - click here! 

Putting the Pieces Together:

A Worship Director's Guide

 

Executive Director,

Kathy Weckwerth's Upcoming Book!  

Best Life Ministries' Founder & Executive Director

We have an exciting book in the works! Look for it on our website next month.  The book, Putting the Pieces Together:  A Worship Director's Guide, is an encouraging book for worship leader's, youth leaders, pastors, and church staff, taking a closer look at how to develop, create, and grow a healthy worship ministry, as well as how to  craft effective, worship-filled, Sunday morning services.

This is Kathy's first book, with three more Women's Ministry Bible Studies coming soon!

She will be offering these books through our Best Life Conferences, on our Best Life website, and on her new webiste (also coming soon  www.kathyweckwerth.com ,) the following books:  DoorBusters:  Breaking Down Your Doors of Fear (a 6 week study), The Be.Attitudes (a 6 week study) and Christmas: A Season For Perspectives (a 4 week study).

 
Kathy told us, "It's my desire to bring help, hope, and healing to women by walking them through the Word of God, and drawing them closer to Him, so that they can live their BEST LIFE."

"I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."     John 10:10. 

  

  

  

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