Does that irritate anyone else?  When you are going through a difficult time and someone says "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade".  I understand the concept and the heart of the one trying to encourage me, but for some reason, it tends to irritate me.  Is it because I feel that they are not really sympathetic or that maybe they are being sarcastic?  

What would I rather they say to me?  The last things I want to hear are: "I know exactly how you feel"; or "you should not feel that way"; or "well, let me tell you what happened to me". Funny how such insignificant responses can bring up old feelings of worthlessness inside of me.  I have learned to recognize and fight those feelings and remind myself who I am, a Daughter of the Most High, a Child of God, and remember that He does care about my every need and feeling.  We often think of God as being so big and great, looking over us like little ants running around on the earth as a frantic mass of humanity, and we forget that He knows us personally.

Psalm 139:2-4…You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.  Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

I cannot tell you how much peace and comfort that gives me.  He really does care about the things I struggle with, even if no one else does.  He never says, well, guess you should just make lemonade, or I think you should just get over it and move on.  He reminds me who He is and who I am, and He loves me through it. He patiently and lovingly holds my hand, gives me advice through His Word, and leads me to something better.

How thankful I am for the love and grace of my Heavenly Father!  The knowledge of who He is and how He feels about me gives me strength when I feel weak.  It gives me courage to move on when I feel defeated.  And it gives me the desire to stay close to Him. 

My precious grandchildren stayed a night with me this last weekend.  I can not tell you what time with them does for me.....JOY is the only word I have.  They are so much fun and constantly remind me of what is important in this life.  I also learn a lot about the love of the Father for me through them.  

My grandson is four years old and he is a great big brother to his little sister who is almost three.  Sissy is full of energy and loves her Bubba and will do almost anything he asks. So, when Bubba said, "Sissy, let's play hide and seek", she readily agreed.  I listened and watched from the kitchen window as he covered his eyes and began counting.  Then I saw Sissy hiding....on the patio on her knees with her head under her tricycle.  I could not stop laughing!  How cute that she really thought she was hiding, even though she was in plain view.  As Bubba finished counting and turned around, in a very disappointed voice and with a big sigh, he said "Sissy.....I see you!"  

I know I have become one of "those" grandmothers that I used to make fun of, always talking about my grandchildren and showing pictures of them to complete strangers in the coffee shop, but I can't help it!  They are adorable!  Anyway, they went on to play and I started thinking about how Sissy really thought that if she was still and ignored her brother, he would not see her there with her head down.  I wondered how often I have done this with my sin.  How many times have I put my head down and ignored God as though He couldn't see me and what I was doing?  But to him, I was completely transparent. 

Thankful does not even express how I feel knowing that even in that moment, my Heavenly Father loved me.  At times I would not even talk to Him, ashamed and afraid to tell Him what was in my heart, as if He did not know.  Look at Adam and Eve when they had sinned, the first thing they did was hide from God.  It is in our nature to run from God when we should run to Him. 

"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:8-10)

Has God called your name and asked "where are you?"  Of course, being omniscient, He knows where we are and what we have done, but He gives us the opportunity to confess and ask forgiveness.  The most exciting thing about that, is that Jesus came and paid the price for our sin, so we no longer have to hide our sin and shame. 

We can now come boldly before the throne and accept His love and forgiveness.  Wow, that just amazes me! Go on and step out of your hiding place and let God love and heal you.  He has great things ahead for you.

Have you ever heard someone pray "God heal them, if it is Your will"?  I have heard this for years and often wondered, why even bother to pray for healing if there is a chance that it is not God's will?  If someone is not healed, does that mean that it was not God's will for them to be healed?  Again, what is the point of praying for healing?

This has been an area of my life where I confess that I have struggled and doubted on many occasions.  I heard something recently that made me stop and think about my faith: "whatever area you do not have peace and joy in your life, that is where the enemy has a stronghold." While taking a course on Healing with an International Ministry, I decided to be open and to ask the Lord for truth and wisdom in this area, because I want to be free and walk in faith. 

Here is what I have learned:  Healing is as significant a part of our inheritance as children of God as salvation and is available to all who are in Christ.  Sickness and disease were curses of the law, but Christ redeemed us from the law.  Deut. 28:15-62, Gal. 3:13

If we believe in the work of the cross for salvation, then we must believe in the work of the cross for healing.  If we do not have faith for healing, then we need to renew our minds by reading scriptures about God's heart for us and the atonement for us both spiritually and physically.  We need to increase our faith by hearing what the Word says about healing and by listening to testimonies of those who have been healed.  It does still happen....people are being miraculously healed by the power of Jesus's name.  

We often are prayed over or pray for someone for healing and the seed of faith is planted, but then the seed is plucked up by the enemy because we either do not see immediate results, or we become afraid that healing did not take place.  We need to nurture those seeds of hope with the Word of God and continue to praise Him for what we do not yet see....that is what faith is. 

No, I do not know why some people get healed and others do not.  But I do know this - God is a healer and it is always His will for His people to be healed.  He does not punish us with sickness and disease, He does not use it to teach us lessons or to humble us.  Sickness and disease, just like sin, are from the enemy.  God is good and He loves us and wants good things for us.  But we live in a fallen world, and bad things happen.  Does this negate His goodness? 

I have seen people healed miraculously with my own eyes.  I can not explain how or why, but I can say I know without a doubt that it was the work of God.  And I have seen people die after praying over them.  Again, I do not know why.  But I choose to continue to pray for healing and to continue to praise God whether I see people healed or not.  Open your mind and spirit to the possibilities of what God is able to do.  Read, study and listen to testimonies of others to increase your faith.  Reach out to Jesus and ask Him to show you His ways.

Matthew 4:23  Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Luke 6:18-19 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured.  19And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.

Matthew 14:14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Can I just say that there are people who have gone through unbelievably horrible things at the hands of other people, and that they have every right to be angry and resentful.  Some of the things people have shared with me that have been done to them are so horrendous, that I cannot even begin to imagine how they have survived.....if not for God.  And then I realize how petty I am to hold on to something said to me that hurt my feelings or offended my pride.

Yes, things happen that are beyond our control and yes, we are victimized in many different ways, and yes, we have every right to be angry.  So what does it mean to forgive and how do we do it when we are so devastated?  The bible says:

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Jesus died on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven, yet he asked His Father to forgive his tormentors.  Wow, hard to believe He was able to do that, but then again, He was Jesus, right?  But if we believe He was here in the flesh as a man, just like us, then the fact that He forgave what was done to Him is truly amazing, but is confirmation that we can do it because with God all things are possible.

Forgiving someone who has hurt us is not easy.  Our flesh holds on tightly to the pain and resentment, and we think somehow that we are punishing that person or getting them back by not forgiving them.  But the truth is, by holding onto unforgiveness, we are punishing ourselves by not allowing the Spirit of God to flow through us and heal us.  

I have found that there were two reasons I had chosen not to forgive people in my life and that this is true of many of us: 
1) We choose to not forgive because it justifies our behaviors and actions toward the person who hurt us; or,
2) We enjoy the attention we get from others by being a victim.

Ouch.....when I realized the truth in this, I repented and chose then and there to be quick to forgive and release my pain to God.  Yes, I CHOSE to do it.  Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice.  Over time, you will realize that you feel differently, but it starts as an act of faith and obedience.  Forgiveness frees us to walk in joy and peace.  It gives us a new perspective and brings us into closer relationship with God.  

Here is a prayer you can pray when you decide to walk in forgiveness.  Pray out loud and fill in the blanks the name of the person and what they did. Have faith, even if you do not feel anything, that God is moving and that you are free.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I choose to forgive________________for _________________.  I release____________ to You now and ask you to bless him/her.  Father, forgive me for holding onto unforgiveness and heal my heart.  Help me to continue walking in forgiveness from this day forward and to receive your forgiveness for me.  Thank you for Your love for me and your goodness.  I praise You and give You glory.  Amen.

Now, forgiving someone does NOT mean you have to continue to allow that person in your life, especially if they are abusive.  Please understand that it is possible and OK to distance yourself from someone who continuously hurts you.  Forgive them and move on with your life. I pray for God's wisdom and intervention in your life.