LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[b] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36

It has been quite some time since my last blog and wasn't sure when I would have the time to write again. However, this week I was pressed to make time. My heart can only hold so much when it comes to the people of God and the things of this world. I am heartbroken by the hate and negativity that has been unleashed throughout our country and possibly around this world. I can only share with you the things I hold dear to me and the personal experiences that I have had in hopes that it will encourage you. Encouragement is what we need to live day by day in hopes that things will fall into the proper alignment and it must be in line with Gods plan for our life for anything to work.

Let me begin by saying "...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you...". Christ spoke these words to us. But interestingly enough, he began the verse by saying "But I say to you who 'hear'...". The word HEAR is defined as such: To listen to with attention, to gain knowledge, to perceive or apprehend by the ear and to listen with favor. We must first choose to listen before we can make a decision. Christ called the people to "hear" what He was going to say, placing emphasis on the word "hear". He immediately followed up with "Love your enemies" and "do good to those who hate you". What a statement to digest. But how can we do this when the person before me clearly hates me? How can I even look that person in the face, much less, even pretend to like them? We encounter this on a daily bases. Not everyone will like us. And not many with love us. What a revelation right? Not at all...this is life. We live day to day with this and that is why Christ left these instructions, so that we can be the ones to make a change. 

My daughters and I shout out in our truck on the way to school everyday, "Lord, help me to be the greatest example of YOUR love to everyone I meet today". And I believe in their little, big hearts they strive so much to do this on a daily basis. Our children can often times love more than we do because they do not see beyond the persons heart. Let me explain what I mean by this. By choosing to be an example of "Gods love" to those around us we make a concsious effort to put aside our thoughts and judgements of others and look at them with the heart of God. What may have happened in their life that caused them to hurt? Do people hate because they have been hurt? How can we show love to ease the hurt and maybe, just maybe our love will bring hope to an area of their life that they never experienced. 

My heart aches for this nation. We do not see past the media that has been thrown in our face. Both sides included. We choose to allow our emotions to run rampant rather than exercise that faith that was given to us to expect great change regardless of the negativity that surrounds us. I am hopeful that the outcome will be so much greater than anticipated. FAITH is a powerful thing! FAITH gives us a reason to rise in the morning and thank God for another day of life. FAITH is what presses us into our purpose and leads us into accomplishing great things. FAITH is what the people of this nation need right now. FAITH is believing in something that you may not be able to see on the surface, but knowing that God has an even greater plan than what you can even fathom. 

I want to share with you just a few experiences that happened in my own personal life that have brought me to this point. Over the past week I have been reminded of these life changing moments but they didn't cause me heartache, they brought a feeling of Joy that everything will work out as it should because God is ALWAYS in control. 

1. When I was in middle school I remember a particular girl that to this day I think of often. She could not stand me. To this day, I still do not know why. She would kick the back of my chair in class, she would pull my hair, she would hurl threats at me that one day she would beat me up. For what reason? I do not know. When asked why she hated me so much, she would just respond with a curse word or two. I would sit out in the car with my mom every morning while waiting for the bus to school and we would ALWAYS take a moment to pray for this girl. "Lord show her love, please help me to be loving, don't let it get to me, I want to know why she hates me so, please place it in her heart to stop"...the prayers were so repetitive. One day as she pulled my hair and kicked my chair she whispered to me "I'm gonna get you after class". The bell rang and she ran off. I figured it was just another threat and to my surprise, the moment I stepped outside that classroom door she jumped out and slapped me across the face and started running down the hall. I took off after her and when I reached her at the end of the school, Administration was already holding her and approaching me to stop me too. At that moment I remembered the prayers we had prayed for this young lady and the only words I could utter were "I forgive you". Everyone was shocked. The girl was suspended and I returned to class. A few days later when she returned she wanted to be my friend. She never said why but I knew in my heart no one had ever shown her forgiveness and love that way. I never saw her bully another person after that. I took a hit but I still chose to love. Trust me, it wasn't easy. There were days and days of hurt built up but those three little words released everything that day. My heart was so full of peace and so very relieved.

Stay with me here...please:

2. Years ago my mom was shot in a drive-by shooting in our home. Both her and my brother were injured. I am so grateful to God that they are both alive and well but at the time my mother was in ICU fighting for her life. We would not know how long of a process this was going to be or if she would even make it. Months went by with her being cared for and treated in the hospital. I was only 11 and so very angry at God. How could He allow something like this to happen to us? Why would He want to take my mom away from me? I was so hurt. I remember one day while visiting with my mom, she spoke these words to me that I have never let go of. She told me that she had forgiven the people who had done this to her. FORGIVE?!?! How??? Why??? They had caused so much pain to our family! We didn't even know if the gang members responsible had even been caught. We had to move out of our home and live with my sister. I went to bed fearful each night not knowing if these kids knew our new address. Would they find us and shoot at our family again? But something happened the day she spoke those words to me. PEACE...in knowing that if she had forgiven them then I knew she also had FAITH that God would work everything out. It was a long and tiring road to recovery for us all but she is alive today to tell her story.

There is something very special about these two stories that I pray will touch your heart and bring encouragement and peace to your life. 

I found out that every time I spoke to my heavenly Father (not sometimes, but every time), He heard my every word, concern, fear, and hurt. He saw my frustration, confusion and every tear I cried. He never failed to respond to my concerns. Even if I couldn't see Him working, I knew He was working. I knew it in my heart. He was up to good and that good was reminding me that He has it all together and I need not try to manipulate things for Him but to just hand it all over to Him. I am not worried about these next four years or the years to follow for that matter because I refuse to allow anyone to instill fear into my life. His word says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."

Humility is never thinking that we are better than anyone else. Remain low and God will begin to raise us up for such a time as this. He has a plan, we must trust and walk in love and peace so that He can accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Continue to pray for one another for strength and encouragement and we will see a great day ahead of us. 

I love you all and am praying for you everyday. This is an amazing day just for the mere fact that we are alive and well and God is in control. Remain hopeful and faithful and God will move in this nation.

SEASONS CHANGE

"And let us not grow weary of doing good,
for in due season we will reap,
if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

Often times we sit and ponder our life...the past, the present, the future. All seasons and all so very different. And yet we can not understand why. Why is it that the seasons have to change? Why must we endure Winter when we would much rather be in Spring? Why can't I just live out my days in the Summer waves and not have to worry about the shedding of my ways in the Fall? We live in constant questioning mode never quite sure of what it is we were created for or why our hearts desire remains just that...a desire and never a reality. Our purpose lies dormant deep down inside waiting to be awakened and we're lost, with no clue how to awaken it. We hope and pray for the season to change and when it does change we want nothing more than to return to the season we were in because we were not expecting what came along with the change. 

With every season change there is a true change of character.

In the Spring things begin to awaken. The seeds take root and vegetation begins to grow. The rain falls to water the earth and the ground is saturated with a much needed drink. Newborn life is revealed among the animals. But with much needed rain also comes never anticipated floods. An overflow that at times is often a challenge to contain and a struggle to survive.

The Summer brings increased temperatures, at times so high that a drought takes place. What was once flooded is now dried up and the ground lies thirsty once again. We long to find enjoyment in the activities that take place in this season but often times experience the stress of preparing for it too. Summer...its a season of fun but can also leave us exhausted and worn down.

And then there's Autumn. It becomes cooler and plants begin to lie dormant. Animals begin to store food and prepare for colder temperatures. Plants wither and trees begin to shed the leaves they once so proudly swayed in the wind. The tree is left naked and exposed and we can only hope for new life in due season.

Winter comes with a vengeance and all that is not prepared is left exposed only to be caught in the grasp of this determined season. Determined to overtake all the life that was so delicately birthed throughout the rest of the seasons. Its cold, wet and dreary and yet it still remains a season of purpose...even when we can not see beyond the lifeless appearance. 

You see, our life reflects the seasons. We long to be in the season of our choice and dwell there until we choose to move on. We struggle with change and we can not accept anything that is out of the norm of our life's pattern. But there is a greater plan and this plan is not of our own choosing but is the amazing plan of God for our lives individually.

God loves us so much that He allows us to endure every season with grace. We fear what is before us but we forget He's walking with us. We see the change as a threat and do not realize it is a blessing. God knows the plan for our life and sees all before we even arrive at our next destination.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  - Jeremiah 29:11

So when we walk through these seasons, we must remember that no matter what the circumstance, God has a plan for it. I have shared this in many of my posts and will never forget what a preacher once told us. He said, "Everything that happens in our life is either God sent or God used," meaning that if He didn't send it He could certainly use it. So when I look at the seasons this is what I see....

The spring of our lives is just that, a moment to spring into purpose, ready to take on the world and so ready to achieve our greatest dreams. We have planted our seeds and are anticipating the rain of Gods spirit to water our plans so we can grow and flourish, but we find ourselves unprepared for the floods. We get tossed and turned and find ourselves drowning in the waves of disappointment because it didn't quite turn out the way we expected. What we didn't realize...God was teaching us to flow with His plans for our life and we fought off the life saver that was provided for us to survive. Our way was better in our eyes and we rejected His help. Then summer came and we were not prepared for the heat of this world. The people around us, telling us we would never do or be what we knew God had already revealed to us, so we get burned and suffer from the condemnation that is scorched into our hearts. We didn't cover ourselves with the Armor of God (our own personal sunblock). We left ourselves exposed to the heat of the enemy and now we hurt. Soon Autumn comes with relief...a cooling down and a great opportunity to prepare for what lies ahead. But what happens next is something we didn't quite prepare for. Our leaves begin to wither and fall to the ground. We find ourselves naked and exposed and we feel embarrassed. What just happened and why would God allow this to happen? My dear friends, if we only understood that God is pruning and pulling away all that does not belong so that we can be fruitful with what he has given us. 

John 15:2 says, "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

Pruning and cutting away is never a pleasant experience but to know that God loves us that much to remove from us what does not belong so that we can be greater and fulfill purpose that He placed inside of us is what matters most. People may talk and others may never understand but none of that matters. God knows whats best for our lives and He will never give us more than we can handle. And then Winter emerges. Winter seems to reveal all that has died but what we don't realize is that whats beneath the snow are the hidden living things "resting" until the proper time and when that season changes, they emerge with life and purpose in mind because they are well rested and ready to move.

The seasons grow and develop us and build a strength to endure anything through Christ. Every season prepares us for something greater and as we live our lives on purpose, fulfilling purpose we must remember that change is a great opportunity to discover what next amazing thing God has planned for our lives. I am so grateful to be in the season I am in now with my family because I now understand that through the good, the not so good and the necessary, God is working through it all. Be encouraged that His plan and the dreams and desires He has placed within you are not dead, they are still being birthed, growing, developing and ready to burst with YOUR blessing and purpose in mind. You are his child and he wants nothing more than to love you. Seasons Change and WE change, growing greater in God. You are AMAZING!

This is one of my favorites and I pray it bless you just as it does me every time I hear it :) Be blessed!