I've written before about the Mitford Series and not only how much I enjoy the stories, but how much I grow in my Christian walk by the beautiful example of the characters.
The book I'm listening to right now involves Father Tim trying to forgive someone... well, several of the books deal with this, but in this book he talks about having to practice forgivness anew every five minutes. He talks about having to surrender his anger to the Lord only to have to surrender it all over again five minutes later.
All too often I think I've surrendered my anger, or my pride, or practiced forgiveness... but three minutes later, I'm toting the barge all over again -- festering anger, clinging to my pride, struggling with forgiveness. Then I forget to surrender everything again... and five minutes later surrender AGAIN.
Too often, if I'm not able to forgive and forget, I just hold onto my anger -- I tried to forgive, but I couldn't, so I guess this particular issue is too fresh, or hard, or whatever... I'll try to forgive again another day, or month, or year.
Nope, forgiveness needs to happen NOW. And if the anger continues, it needs to happen again in five minutes. And again another five minutes after that.
Mitford reminds me that God would rather I lay something at His feet again and again and again and again, as I LEARN how to trust Him with control rather than lay something at His feet only to pick it up to run with it myself indefinitely.
The book I'm listening to right now involves Father Tim trying to forgive someone... well, several of the books deal with this, but in this book he talks about having to practice forgivness anew every five minutes. He talks about having to surrender his anger to the Lord only to have to surrender it all over again five minutes later.
All too often I think I've surrendered my anger, or my pride, or practiced forgiveness... but three minutes later, I'm toting the barge all over again -- festering anger, clinging to my pride, struggling with forgiveness. Then I forget to surrender everything again... and five minutes later surrender AGAIN.
Too often, if I'm not able to forgive and forget, I just hold onto my anger -- I tried to forgive, but I couldn't, so I guess this particular issue is too fresh, or hard, or whatever... I'll try to forgive again another day, or month, or year.
Nope, forgiveness needs to happen NOW. And if the anger continues, it needs to happen again in five minutes. And again another five minutes after that.
Mitford reminds me that God would rather I lay something at His feet again and again and again and again, as I LEARN how to trust Him with control rather than lay something at His feet only to pick it up to run with it myself indefinitely.
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