attitude – B Is for Blessed!

Faded Flowers

“Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.” Psalms 71:9 KJV

As I was looking at the remnants of my hydrangeas, one in particular caught my eye. The flower was no longer the fresh sweet pink it had been upon blooming many weeks ago. Instead, it was faded and speckled but still it had a beauty all its own.

It made me reflect on how many times we casually toss things aside or fail to appreciate people after the “newness” has worn off. The joy and excitement of new love at its onset often fades as years wear on and relationships weather everyday routines and obligations.

We often don’t appreciate things and people in their “less than new state,” failing to recognize a different beauty that has changed from what was to what it is now. How is it that the blessings we ask God for and receive, we so can easily make the last of our priorities or quickly dismiss in search for the next new “thrill?”

The excitement of parenting quickly gives way to the responsibility and time required to do the job properly. Friendships are often neglected when the fun times are few and far between. When the butterflies of new-found love are long gone, can you appreciate the great qualities, faithfulness and reliability of your significant other?

Relationships are never perfect as they are composed of imperfect people, but often our flawed (not destructive!) relationships are more satisfying than having none at all. Too many times we stare at the flaws instead of being in awe of the perfect people for us that God has allowed in our lives.

I challenge you today to look at the people and relationships in your life with a fresh perspective. Even though things and people may not be what they once were, they may still be beautiful in new and different ways.

Appreciate the home you have as if you’d once been homeless. Appreciate the people in your life as if you almost lost them. Make a deliberate choice to appreciate the blessings you have now instead of looking back on what once was or even what can be…

View that same old job with a gratitude that it’s still there! Look at the house in need of repair not with disdain but as a place you really can call home. Your kids may not be perfect (and who is) but at least you’ve gotten them this far!

Like a car when the new shine wears off, dependability should be celebrated instead of longing for that new car smell. Love the people and things in your life for getting you where you need to go, coming along for the ride, or for simply being available and being there. Why wait until a time of loss to appreciate what you have right now?

New isn’t always better. There is more to be said for faithfulness, dependability, and long-lasting love than for the glitz and glamour of the latest and greatest whoever and whatever!

Contentment doesn’t necessarily breed complacency; it can instead allow you peace and joy for where you are now, your personal journey and the people and things you’ve been blessed with along the way.

Family, friends, good books, and wine. Some things are better with the passage of time.

“To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

Look for Your Cloud!

Like many people, I’ve a few areas in my life that are a bit…dry. One in particular is quite crispy. Crisss-pee!

My “situation” soured and then died years ago, yet for one reason or another the last nail was never placed in its coffin.

I was illegally “wronged,” tried to muddle through, then eventually gave “it” to God. This set me back financially and took years (yes, years) before I could finally forgive and move on.

The last thing I prayed concerning the matter was that “it would bless me.” This was over three years ago. And it was hardly a sweet declaration of optimism.

I stood in my bathroom crying. I screamed that “it” would no longer hold me (and my sanity) hostage. I figured I learned a hard lesson and at the least I would be wiser. This was only one thing in a season of drought that appeared endless.

Sometimes we do what is right and are still wronged. We wonder where is God? I believed God’s view was “I didn’t tell you to do that,” so I suffered the consequences.

Today, I was at an appointment and learned my desert may not be so dry after all. What I finally buried and put behind me, God may resurrect for my good!

God may be the reason that final nail never went into the coffin. My loss may have been a “strategic delay.” The most prominent cactus in my years long drought may actually bloom!

I’d given up on this “cactus.” It had drawn enough blood out of me. I didn’t want to touch it! However, when all was silent, could it be God allowed matters to fall as they would and bless me?

This blessing may or may not manifest but its potential has stirred my faith and expectancy. Sometimes when we wander in the desert, we forget that cooling rains can come. God will answer. Just in His time.

As my husband and I ate lunch outdoors, out of nowhere the skies opened up with a tremendous downpour. We had to scurry for cover. Less than an hour after I caught a glimpse of my “cloud.”

I realized today that in this particular area, I’d stopped looking for my cloud. I’d sadly let the heat of my drought sap me of spiritual strength and expectancy. God has been so faithful, why did I doubt Him in this one area?

Keep your eyes open for your cloud. Elijah sent his servant out seven times looking for a sign of rain. Finally, the servant came back with a report. It wasn’t rain but it was the potential for rain.

Don’t lose your hope in what God can do. Dare to look beyond the obvious and have faith for the miraculous.

I think I can finally smell the rain.

“Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.” James 5:7 NIV

“Go and look toward the sea.” He told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there.” He said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” I Kings 18: 43-44 NIV

Power and Authority

A hint of spring is here in the Atlanta area. The snow and ice are finally gone. I really applaud you out there who deal with all the white stuff regularly. We made out much better the second time around. This time nearly everyone heeded the warnings issued repeatedly by our governing officials. This time, people readily recognized that there are some things beyond our power to control.

Most people tend to think that no matter what is going on around them they can handle it. We sometimes think we can always make some provision, adjustment or schedule change that will allow us to do what we want to do even when a higher authority has said “no.”

I watched a television interview of a tow truck operator clearing some wreckage. He was shaking his head explaining how even though things didn’t look very bad, people were still out on the roads during the storm and finding themselves in trouble even though the government authorities were begging people to stay put. Those few on the roads for a joy ride were deceived by the calm appearances and had to pay (literally) the consequences for their behavior. How many times have we done the same thing in different circumstances?

There are times in life we must come to grips that we cannot do what we want to do. God’s plan just does not allow it. We must accept this and act accordingly. We often get ourselves in trouble when we fail to recognize His power and authority and instead go off and do our own thing. Often it ends with us praying for God to save us from our own poor choices!

Just like the meteorologists, God gives us instructions and warnings. It is then up to us to take what we know and behave in a manner consistent with the information we have been given. Yet unlike the meteorologists, God’s instructions are infallible. There is no second guessing or “wait and see” what will happen like the weather. God’s instructions are crystal clear. How often do we ignore the warnings signs and instructions we are given so we can justify our own actions?

Only God can make it rain, sleet, hail or snow. He determines the temperature. As such, only God can stop the seemingly unstoppable or thaw a hardened heart. Only He can create such a spectacular winter wonderland. Man may try to recreate His majesty but anything we do can only pale in comparison. We are wise when we recognize His power.

Realize there are some things that you cannot control. Sometimes, I think God gives us a storm or two to help jog our memories. Sometimes we simply won’t be still until we forced to.

“Be still, and know that I [am] God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth,” Psalms 46:10 NKJV.

We also fail to recognize God’s power and authority when we stress ourselves trying to achieve things only He can make happen. When we recognize His power and trust Him to move our mountains, we can then enjoy the kind of existence we were created to have. Recognizing the power of the Sovereign God allows you to rest and stop struggling to do what you cannot. Recognizing God’s power and authority allows you the opportunity to live instead of merely exist.

As we were thawing out last week, I felt our earthquake that radiated from the Georgia/Carolina border. Maybe the southeast needed yet another reminder of God’s power. I was reminded that I don’t have to have all the answers. I don’t have to come up with the solutions. I can trust God to do those things for me. He can move heaven and earth.

I will do what I can while trusting Him to do what I cannot. Sometimes the strength we look for in ourselves will only be found when we look up to our God. Recognizing our own limitations is often the first step toward acknowledging His power.

When I can’t, I am confident that He can! What more could I possibly ask for?

“Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power,” Psalms 21:13 NKJV

“Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite,” Psalms 147:5 NKJV

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit,” Romans 15:13 NKJV

“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

Dead Things

The leaves pictured above and attached to this tree are no longer beneficial to the tree. They are utterly useless. Dead. These leaves no longer produce food or nutrients to sustain the tree. They are simply hanging on until a harsh wind blows them away. And when they are gone this tree will later be covered in green, life-sustaining leaves.

Unfortunately, the things that are dead to us don’t just always fall off or blow away. Sometimes we have to remove them. This requires that we recognize our own “dead leaves” and shed them ourselves so we can make room for the things that will allow us to grow and thrive.

Just like leaves, many things in our lives are productive for one season only. We may often try to hold on to things long after their usefulness has past. We may attempt to cling to relationships after God’s purpose has been fulfilled.

Sometimes we wonder why certain things we once did don’t work as well as before. Or perhaps, things we once found entertaining appeal to us no longer. It may even be that a once engaging friendship has simply evaporated.

As we grow and mature there will be old things we should cast off in order that we may grasp what God has for us now. Many people suffer from a syndrome of hanging on to the glory days of the past oblivious that God is offering something different but better now. Many people often fail to see their potential “new thing” because their focus is on what was and not on what is.

Other people fixate on past disappointments, failures or regrets. Pondering these things will not nurture you but instead suck the very life out of you! It is wise to consider the lessons learned from these things yet take the lessons learned and move forward.

Our relationship with God should be ever-growing and ever-changing us! We should be ready for a new life with Him which may require that we let go of some dead things. These may include some of our habits, relationships or even opinions that are holding us back instead of propelling us forward.

Give a little thought to a few changes you can make in this year. Some may be monumental. Others may be quite small. Yet, in determining what you can shed and making room for “green leaves” later, you may actually find 2014 to be your best year yet!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
1 Corinthians 13:11

“Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; [So does] a little folly to one respected for wisdom [and] honor.” Ecclesiastes 10:1

It’s a New Year…so get over it!

This isn’t at all what I had planned to write about. My intention was to end the year in 2013 thanking the many people who have supported me and this blog especially so in the latter part of the year. You are hardly forgotten! Alas, my plans were for naught. Christmas was wonderful!

Ringing in the New Year…not so much.

I slept through the beginning of 2014 as best I could huddled down in my covers and fighting off a very nasty bug. I thought I had been oh so careful, washing my hands at least twenty times a day (I am not exaggerating), Lysol, Sani-wipes, trying not to inhale other people’s germs, taking vitamins and getting plenty of rest. Yet, it came down to taking my own advice. “You aren’t going to do much of anything until you get over it.” I have said these very words to patients at least a hundred times.

Yes, I took all the proper OTC remedies, was seen by a nurse practitioner and given a good antibiotic to knock out my trifecta of bronchitis, sinusitis and possibly strep. Even with all of that, the body said NO! Not moving, doing or going a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e!

I had “plans” to hit the New Year’s Day sale of my favorite department store. Didn’t happen. So, as I lay in bed reminding myself that I was NOT dying, it only felt like it; I was praying and thinking how everything happens for my good. Maybe I spent enough money this holiday season and I didn’t need to go to the mall. Okay God, I’m stuck at home for my own good. I get it.

The next day, I’m still sick, actually sicker. I’m thinking to myself I’m doing everything I can to get better. I know what to do! “You are going to have to get over it before you do anything,” I hear God in my spirit.

But HE is not talking about my illness. God does work out all things for our good and He most definitely can use anything to get our attention.

You see, on Sunday the television preacher was preaching “get over it.” I listened to that sermon and thought it was good and very relevant. Only days prior to that, I was speaking with my oldest son about making good choices and telling him not to make the same mistakes I had. In his teenage wisdom, this kid told me to “get over it.”

First of all, if one of my kids tells me to “get over it,” there is a huge problem. My first instinct was to look behind me and see exactly who he was talking to!

Cam said it so quickly and distinctly and then resumed his normal conversation I was left speechless. I knew it was God talking to me through my child. It was hardly the first time God has done that.

I heard the same exact words in less than a week and knew them to be true yet still a little something in me hesitated. I had no problem “getting over it,” but there have been times when I have circled back and found my “it.” Or, I worse, I allowed “it” to find me.

It may be a reference to something else, a subtle reminder or just being tired and annoyed as we all can be that allows my “it” to rear its ugly head. I have gotten over many more significant things in my life, matters of life and death but this one thing, somehow finds a way to grab my attention and my thoughts.

Unfortunately my thoughts can then morph into regret which then can become resentment and consequently eat away into the forgiveness I thought I had given.

I did pray for revelation while I was sick. And boy did I get it!

I post this because God basically told me the things I want to do, places I want to go and dreams I want to see realized ain’t happening (and yes I do mean ain’t) until I get over “it” for good!

I suspect that most of us have some “it” that may be holding us back from God’s very best in our lives.

When Abraham’s nephew Lot took the best of the land that was divided between them Abraham got over it. Abraham knew that whatever he had with God was so much more than anything Lot could ever take from him.

We would all do well to remember this same thing as we begin 2014. Whatever we may have lost, whatever regrets we have, or mistakes we have made are insignificant compared to the power of our God. In our weakness, He is strong.

Leave your past exactly where it belongs and concentrate on what God can do now. God has plans for all of us if only we would trust Him and truly “get over” the things, thoughts, regrets and mistakes that can hold us hostage and keep us from achieving our very best this year.

Have a Very Blessed 2014!

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” Philippians 3:13-15 NKJV

Declare Your Thanks!

“That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works,” Psalms 26:7 NKJV

In this new age of social media, Facebook, Instagram, Tumbler and all the other things I can’t keep up with or operate we are prodded and urged to post, update and communicate with the masses. Some people post photos of the food they eat, places they’ve gone, people they’ve met and so on but how many of us truly proclaim with thanksgiving what God has done in our lives?

We often talk or post some of every kind of thing, yet much of what we relay to others is actually insignificant in the large scheme of things. What difference could we make if we actually did what the many chapters of Psalms instruct us to do?

I’m not trying to sound like a religious fanatic, far from it, but have we ever thought that there is a reason we are implored again and again to make a joyful noise and come before the Lord with thanksgiving?

When we hear with our own voices what God has done, it makes us mindful of what really is important in life. Declaring His works with rejoicing, offering a praise of thanksgiving and magnifying Him with thanksgiving allow us to put things in their proper perspective. The words don’t just bless God our Father, they bless us!

Declaring what God has done each new day, the miracle of life, milestones He has allowed us to see and do, personal promises fulfilled, these things placed at the front of our consciousness keep us with an attitude of gratitude. This practice keeps us sane and allows us to hold on strong to Him when chaos breaks about around us.

Our words of gratitude are not just for our benefit, we are to testify to others. I’m not condoning hitting anyone on the head with a Bible, but I have found that when I have shared what God has done for me, it has often provided hope for someone else.

In this new era of possible “overshare” why not share something truly meaningful?

“Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing,” Psalms 107:22 NKJV”

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name,” Psalms 100:4 NKJV

Examine Your Relationship!

When people first fall in love, odds are they will do just about anything to be with the one they love. New love prompts people to spend as much time as possible with a potential spouse or companion. There is a want and a willingness to please the other person. The needs and wants of their loved one become a priority!

Yet as the years go on, we may find ourselves taking for granted the very person we were once willing to go to the ends of the earth for. The companionship of that spouse or significant other is not the priority it once was. That transition in stages from “getting to know you,” to “endless love,” and then to “comfort and familiarity” can eventually descend into something not that loving at all.

In some relationships where there was once a steadfast love and appreciation for the other person, excitement and joy diminish leaving a relationship where one or more parties become undervalued and taken for granted.

Unfortunately, many allow this same lack of enthusiasm and zeal to infiltrate their relationship with God!

Even though grateful for salvation, some of us no longer seek Him with the enthusiasm and determination once reserved for that newfound love. Instead, we lie back comfortably in our blessed assurance but don’t continue to appreciate all that God has to offer and fail to put in the time necessary to deepen and further that relationship.

Successful marriages take time and effort. They don’t just happen. There is significant sacrifice, consideration and effort placed into making a good marriage work.

Our relationship with God is no different! For us to have the very best relationship with God possible, we must put in time and effort. This relationship requires sacrifice, often the very things and people we enjoy! Every relationship requires give and take yet many people base their relationship with God in terms of taking what He can give instead of giving of their time, talents, finances, praise and worship to make that relationship even better.

Great relationships are also based on great communication. We often want to talk to God, but do we listen with the same enthusiasm and willingness to hear what He would say? Unlike relationships with people, what God says to us is flawless. Some of us are quicker to follow bad advice from imperfect people than to take direction from Perfection.

Accepting God’s gift of salvation is a first step just like the bride and groom who commit to one another at the altar. However, if that relationship is to grow, develop and sustain itself through “for better and for worse, richer and poorer, good times and in bad” we have to deepen our commitment, resolve and desire to make the most of the relationship.

This means instead of asking God, “why me?” or pouting because a promise has yet to be fulfilled, or circumstances are not as expected we need to do those things necessary to deepen and improve the relationship. It is prudent that we make God a priority just like a new love. We are to seek Him, His presence and His Word that our relationship would grow and not stagnate. Many couples have a “date night” or designated time set aside for one another to nourish their relationship. If you want your relationship with God to thrive, it is necessary you deliberately set time aside for Him!

If you feel like you are missing something, not living your life to the fullest or there is a void you can’t quite put your finger on, take time to truly search yourself and examine your relationship!

Are you just talking to God occasionally or are you in a committed relationship?

“…And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you,” Isaiah 62:5 NKJV

Buried or Planted?

There are times in life when we feel stressed and overwhelmed by daily responsibilities. Family obligations, job stresses, health issues and an array of other things can make us feel as if we are overcome and buried beneath a ton of bricks. We often bury ourselves beneath the weight of unnecessary commitments, circumstances, and even our own poor choices.

In addition, the storms of life can pour more rain on us that any umbrella can withstand. It is at this time we must make the pivotal decision that will determine our outcome. We must each decide if we are buried or planted?

Buried is to be overcome by whatever situation is bearing down and you can’t see your way out from under. Buried is seeing a situation as permanent and immovable. When something is buried it lies dead never to emerge again.

Planted is quite different. Dead seeds are covered with dirt just as something that is buried, however they will eventually emerge transformed into something new! You are planted when you are overcome with the stuff in your life yet expect to rise up from under and into something better, something only God can do!

Our storms dump water on a grave from which nothing will rise forth. For that which is planted, those same storms provide the water necessary for growth, transforming that dead seed into something that will yet live and break out from under the dirt.

We can look at the “dirt” that appears to overtake us and believe we are buried or have faith in God that we are instead planted in that same situation.

The dirt that weighs us down may actually hold the nutrients (circumstances, experience, and maturity) required to grow into what God would have us to become. We all require a unique combination of trials and tribulations if we are to grow instead of wither and die. God truly gives each of us what we need (not necessarily what we want) to grow with Him.

Jesus was planted in the tomb and resurrected into something new. His own disciples didn’t recognize Him upon His resurrection. This same power is available to us when we choose to submit ourselves to God and allow Him to transform us into so much more than we were before!

We need only to ask Him and be changed for the better. Obedience may require that we push through some dirt and weather some storms but it is faith in what God can do that fuels our final outcome.

Which do you choose…buried or planted?

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” 1 John 4:4 NKJV

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33 NKJV

The Root of the Matter (excerpted from God and The Garden)

“But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away,” Matthew 13:6 NKJV

No matter how beautiful the plant, no matter what its leaves look like or its fruit that shines, if the roots are rotten it is as good as dead.

The same also holds true for us as well. No matter how we appear to others, it is truly what is unseen that determines our character.

Most people want to look good but fail to nurture what really counts, their roots or the foundation that is vital for growth and sustenance.

Psalms 80: 8-9 states, “You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it. You have prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root and it filled the land.” NKJV

Deep roots are necessary for significant growth. The acorn cannot become a mighty oak with shallow roots at surface level that leave the tree vulnerable to disease, a lack of nutrients, and physical destruction. It is necessary that the roots grow deep if the tree is to grow to up.

Our roots must grow deep if we are to grow up!

“And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward,” 2 Kings 19:30 NKJV.

This theme is found repeatedly in the Bible. Deep roots are crucial. Jesus’ parable as explained in Matthew teaches if we have shallow roots the heat of life will surely scorch us! We won’t survive. We will wither and die. This fate is not what Jesus died for. He died that we may live and do so abundantly. So, how do we develop deep roots and thrive as God intended?

In nature a lack of water at the surface forces plant roots downward. Our personal droughts can do the same for us when we don’t give up, but instead dig in. When we are in hot situations we must root ourselves in God’s Word that we may not just survive but thrive in spite of our test. Our trials are to push us closer to God, not drive us away. Plants survive by doing this even though they may look parched at the surface. Certain trials leave us looking fried as well but digging into the Word strengthens us and leaves us better off long after the test has passed.

Our roots need fertilizer. Nothing will develop you into the person God intended like the real “Miracle Grow” of God’s Word. His Word establishes the righteous. “But the root of the righteous yields fruit,” Proverbs 12:12 NKJV.

Turning to God when the heat is on, establishing yourself in His Word, constantly reading and meditating on it allows your roots to push downward so you can bear fruit upward. The taller the tree, the deeper the roots.

We can’t grow up unless we dig in!

Rooting ourselves in God’s Word provides stability that keeps us from being blown over and plucked up by hard winds (hardships). Sure we may lose a few leaves and have a branch or two broken through our trials but most importantly we can remain rooted where God would have us.

Some plants, once established in the ground are incredibly hard to pull out. Shovels and picks won’t do the job. Their roots expand outward and downward embedding themselves through the earth and around rocks. The longer the plant is established in the ground the stronger it becomes. The more we establish and root ourselves in God’s Word the stronger we too become.

Who we become in life is often dictated by what is unseen by other people. What we do when no one is watching, the thoughts we have toward others, the things we say when no one can hear are extensions of what exists below the surface. These inner things dictate what is produced outwardly.

“And if the root is holy, so are the branches,” Romans 11:16. If you want good branches start below the surface. Kill anything below the surface that will hinder your growth. Bad habits, bad thoughts, ill influences and addictions will do nothing but promote root rot. People who are negative influences are often “weeds” that can rob you of nutrients you need to grow.

Replace whatever has the potential to kill you with the Miracle Grow of God’s Word, inspirational influences, positive acquaintances, prayer, devotion and whatever it takes to push you up toward God’s very best for you!

If you feel unproductive or at a loss don’t focus on the surface but instead investigate those deeper things that may hinder your desired outcome.

If there is anything that needs to be gone, toss it! Change habits. Change direction. Make different choices. Think different thoughts. Turn toward God who “establishes” you so that you can thrive, not just survive.

If you want to bloom and be fruitful, living the abundant life Christ died for… tend to your roots!

Thank you Heavenly Father for enabling me to root myself in You. Allow me to take root and grow strong into the person you have ordained me to become. May I focus on what lies beneath the surface and find nourishment in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Clean cuts

“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell,” Matthew 5:30 NKJV

I know a gentleman who suffered over a year with an infection in his lower leg. He was on all kinds of oral medications, IV medications and various wound treatments in an effort to get well. During this treatment, side effects from his medications made him ill. He never felt well and complained often about how his entire body and not just his leg suffered. His blood was monitored often to make sure the medications that were used to treat the infection did not harm his vital organs. His doctors were constantly on alert to make sure his infection had not spread. The entire ordeal left him weak and miserable daily.

Finally, his doctors decided the treatment he was receiving was not enough to kill the infection or keep it from spreading. In fact, his medical team was forced to amputate his lower leg. If his infected leg remained, the bacteria would spread throughout his body and kill him.

About a month after his surgery, I asked him how he was feeling. He declared, “I haven’t felt this good in years.” He was no longer relegated to taking an arsenal of medications that left him feeling poorly. His infected lower leg had been removed but he was now very mobile with his new prosthesis. He was actually moving around better than he had before the amputation.

He now felt healthy, was happy and had a positive outlook on life.

Likewise, it is necessary that we make certain “cuts” in our own lives that would leave us better. Instead of making a clean break from anger, guilt, regret, disappointment and un-forgiveness we sometimes “nurse” these things instead. We often try to repair our feelings and emotions instead of cutting them off all together. Some people are haunted years later by mistakes God has forgiven decades earlier. They allow guilt or bitterness to remain, infecting them and robbing them of a better quality of life. There is no freedom in “forgiveness” when you insist on making your offender acknowledge the offense time and time again. An unforgiving spirit does very little to the offending person in comparison to the damage it wrecks on the person who refuses to forgive.

Forgiveness is often hard. However living with unforgiveness is much harder.

Anger, bitterness, guilt, and spite can be deadly. They often cause both mental anguish and physical decay. Worse of all is those suffering under these afflictions don’t recognize the toil these toxic characteristics take on themselves and the people around them!

Bitterness drains. Peace sustains.

Is there anything you need to cut away today?