What have I done?

Good day to all my brothers and sisters in Christ!  It's Thursday!  We are getting so close to Christmas!  I'm so excited, I feel like a kid!

Along with all the excitement I've been feeling, I've also been overwhelmed with my past failures.  Not as a "feel sorry for myself" kind of thing.  I'm just sad that it took so long for me to understand this very special and true Gift that I have received.  And sad about the things that are still holding me up. 

I read about Paul's letter to the church in Corinth and how his letter had made them very sad.  See Paul was confronting them about something they were doing wrong.  At first, Paul felt very bad that his letter had hurt them so.  But then he was glad because it woke them up.  He wasn't happy that they were hurt.  He was happy the letter had caused a kind of pain that made them repent and change their ways. 

See, it was the kind of sorrow that God wants his people to have because this experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.  Paul had no regrets for sending the letter.  God also doesn't regret this kind of pain.  Paul was happy with what this godly sorrow produced in them and God would be so happy to see that in us.  Paul wrote, "You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right"  (2Corinthians 7:9-11)

Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:32-33, "Though God brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of His unfailing love.  For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow."

It's like as a parent.  We don't like the disciplining part.  It's the hardest part of parenting to see hurt in a child's eyes.  But we know that it is necessary for them to grow up and understand right from wrong. 

My grief is good.  It comes from way down deep.  It's from self-evaluation, not a morbid, self-hatred, self-condemnation.  See this kinda of work is due to our excepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  And when we choose to live for Him, we receive the Holy Spirit, our conscience. 

It's taken me a long, long time to learn this, but we have to learn to accept this sorrow as a positive part of renewing our lives and living for God.  It is not a punishment.

And with that, people have hurt us.  People will hurt us.  Let's not forget the love the Good Lord has shown us at our worst.  Let's not punish those for their inadequacies, we have them also and always will!  Let's pray that God will show us how we can change and be better for those who need us.

We have been so blessed!  Look at where we are today!  And pause for a minute to remember where we once were!  What a blessed difference!  Thanks be to God our loving Father!

Merry Christmas to you my brothers and sisters!  May God bless and keep you all this week!

Love and Blessings ~ Becca