Recently, life has been crazy. Events have occured that unfortunately have caused me to be very judgemental and hard hearted. The past week or so, God has constantly reminded me of the passage found in John 8...
"but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Those verses that I have read over and over again didn't really "hit" me until this past week...when I realized that I was being a Pharisee. Even more surprising was that I was throwing stones at my own family.
God really used this passage to transform my mind. The day that tragedy hit - I was finished with that person, I was angry...actually I was fuming! I was ready to cut this person out of my life! I went to bed that night and suprisingly fell asleep and God gave me the most vivid dream! It was John 8! Christ was standing there teaching and suddenly these men bring this woman to Him, telling Him the awful things she had done in her life. And Jesus says that infamous line "Whoever is without sin, throw the first stone." And then my dream goes black and then I see myself with a stone in my hand! I woke up from the dream broken and humbled. I immediately had to apologize to that family member that I felt bitterness and anger toward even though they had hurt me.
Isn't it funny how we are so quick to judge and point out other people's sin, yet we are hesitant to see our own?!? It's actually pretty ridiculous! It's as if we have blinders on when it comes to the issues that we deal with personally. It is heartbreaking.
I pray for revelation when it comes to the things that I need to work on in my own life. I pray for a heart that longs to love those who are living a life of habitual sin. I pray to be the love of Christ to those who need it most.
If we stand back and actually look at this picture that John so vividly illustrates - this woman is sinking in sin. She is yearning for love and affection and she has no clue how to find it! So she settles for finding temporary comfort in the arms of a man. If Christ wasn't there to show her an everlasting love...a love that can only be found in the arms of our Abba Father...she would have been condemned to death!!! Instead she was given the amazing gift of forgiveness!!! A gift that we do not deserve - yet we are slow to forgive?! It really doesn't make sense does it?
The day after my dream, God also reminded me of a passage that I memorized a few years ago. Paul wrote, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:12-13)
I urge you friends, if you are struggling with forgiveness - remember how Christ has forgiven you! We are so undeserving yet we are forgiven! When I was praying over this blog when I started it - I wanted to sum my life in one word and God revealed "forgiven." And it is so true!
In my Christian counseling class, I have been reading a book called "Discipleship Counseling" and I want to end and share with ya'll a couple of quotes that God revealed to me this past week...
“Forgiveness is a courageous act that reflects the grace of God. Forgiveness is not tolerating sin. God forgives sin, but He does not tolerate sin.” (Anderson)
“You do not heal in order to forgive; you forgive in order to heal.” (Anderson)
I love ya'll!!! Hope you have a fabulous week :)
Joyfully His,
Whit
