Picking Up a Brick, Putting It Down
Ah, me.
Will I ever learn?
I grabbed that old family heirloom of unforgiveness tonight--the one shaped like a brick--and held on to it. Tight.
At times, I felt like hurling that brick right at someone I loved.
Some things just come so naturally, you know?
But, after a while, I felt the unforgiveness burying me. Weighing me down like a ton of bricks.
And I knew that I faced a choice: Keep walking in unforgiveness or let it go.
So, I reached out and took my husband's hand--and let go of the unforgiveness.
And--wonderful, godly man that he is--he forgave me too.
I have a one word definition for marriage. Marriage = work.
WORK.
Don't get me wrong, all that work is worth it. But it's still work.
And some of the hardest work for me is choosing to be forgiving. Sometimes my husband does something and needs to be forgiven.
But,to be honest, there are plenty of times I just get upset at him. I'm just mad. And I convince myself that I have good reason to be mad.
This less than shining life moment is brought to you by me--an Accidental Pharisee who is choosing to let go of the Law and grab hold of the grace!
Just Thinking Out Loud: Where is God in the midst of all my less than shining moments? He's right there in the midst of them--offering me grace. Telling me not to cast the first brick. Reminding me to walk in a manner worthy (Colossians 1:10) and to clothe myself in Christ (Romans 13:14). Not so I can proclaim, "Look at me!"--but so I can look in the mirror and be amazed that God can be glorified even in an Accidental Pharisee.
Will I ever learn?
I grabbed that old family heirloom of unforgiveness tonight--the one shaped like a brick--and held on to it. Tight.
At times, I felt like hurling that brick right at someone I loved.
Some things just come so naturally, you know?
But, after a while, I felt the unforgiveness burying me. Weighing me down like a ton of bricks.
And I knew that I faced a choice: Keep walking in unforgiveness or let it go.
So, I reached out and took my husband's hand--and let go of the unforgiveness.
And--wonderful, godly man that he is--he forgave me too.
I have a one word definition for marriage. Marriage = work.
WORK.
Don't get me wrong, all that work is worth it. But it's still work.
And some of the hardest work for me is choosing to be forgiving. Sometimes my husband does something and needs to be forgiven.
But,to be honest, there are plenty of times I just get upset at him. I'm just mad. And I convince myself that I have good reason to be mad.
This less than shining life moment is brought to you by me--an Accidental Pharisee who is choosing to let go of the Law and grab hold of the grace!
Just Thinking Out Loud: Where is God in the midst of all my less than shining moments? He's right there in the midst of them--offering me grace. Telling me not to cast the first brick. Reminding me to walk in a manner worthy (Colossians 1:10) and to clothe myself in Christ (Romans 13:14). Not so I can proclaim, "Look at me!"--but so I can look in the mirror and be amazed that God can be glorified even in an Accidental Pharisee.
Labels: less than shining moments, unforgiveness
posted by Beth K. Vogt at
10:29 PM
4 Comments:
You're right marriage is work. The beautiful incident you described or its opposite of holding the unforgiveness and letting it weigh you down over years...you still have to work out the "bricks."
But all relationships are what life is about and they all entail work. To avoid the work and the relationships is a type of death before you die.
By
Kay Martin, At
August 28, 2008 at 1:36 AM
Beautifully said ... my husbad once told me that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person you are unforgiving to die! sigh! He is so right.
The courage it takes to put down the brick and walk in forgiveness is the WORK part. Good girl...God is so good and to Him by the glory!
By
Debra Kaye, At
August 28, 2008 at 3:31 PM
This is a lovely and inspiring post for married couples -and even about life, about forgiving. thanks for sharing.
www.makimeji.com
By
ZAM, At
August 29, 2008 at 2:04 AM
Still learning. Although I have learned more about being forgiving from my children than anyone else--but my husband is right up there with my children when it comes to teaching me about forgiveness.
By
Beth K. Vogt, At
August 29, 2008 at 9:57 AM
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