“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
All Years’ Resolutions Part 4
I believe we all try to stay “fit” to some degree. It makes my “All Years Resolutions” list every year. However, in I Timothy 4:8, Paul reminds me, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
I agree that staying physically fit does have value, but I really desire “godliness” for the present and the life to come. Looking up how “godliness” is defined, I found several different answers. The majority defined it as “Christ-likeness.” One of Christ’s attributes was His peace.
My soul feels “fit” when I walk in Christ’s peace. How does that play out in my everyday life? As one example, I have to practice forgiveness on a moment-by-moment basis so that no “thing” or no “one” can disrupt the peace that Jesus has given me. This does not always come easily, but as a choice. “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). I choose by an act of my will to forgive a person for belittling me, or hurting my feelings, or for making me “temporarily” angry. Yes, I used the term “temporarily” because a person can only make me angry or upset if I let them. If I take the offense, I make Satan happy. Instead, I would rather please God by choosing to forgive that person.
To forgive means to cease to feel resentment and the need for revenge against the offender. A well-known evangelist explained unforgiveness as being like a person taking poison and hoping the other person would die. The poison of unforgiveness continues to poison if I do not choose to forgive. After making the choice to forgive, I have to follow up by asking God to forgive my anger or offense because my sin is just as wrong as the person who sinned against me. We both sinned against God.
Now if I bit the person’s head off, or made an unkind comment, then I also need to ask that person for their forgiveness. As I choose to pray for God to bless that person, I feel free and “fit” and back to walking in His “perfect peace” as I continue to trust Him to lead me in His ways.
“Lord, as I discipline my “spiritual body” to stay on track to “spiritual fitness” on the road to Christ-likeness, may it produce in me a harvest of righteousness and peace. Help me run to You when I need to make that choice to forgive as You did for me. Thank You, Lord.”
You have that one RIGHT! Thank you!
Thank you, this is very timely as I made the choice to forgive someone yesterday, and it truly did restore peace, even though this person over the last decade or so has been used by the enemy to bring disruption and chaos to my family’s life over and over again. Forgiveness is a choice though, its the right choice, and I know in due time God is going to do something miraculous in the midst of this situation and with this person. It may not look like I think it will or should or whatever, but my job is to trust God, lean back into the arms of Jesus, pray for, wait for and watch for His will to be done.