EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

Robin (Beckman) Gudal  is intentional in life and is a wife, momma, nana, friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.

God is never silent, but there are times we should be! If you (I do) need to be developed in this area, it is my prayer we would walk in his instruction and mature. We have all slipped up once or a 100 times, but today is the day to start a new pattern.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

At one point we have all been hurt.

Some encouraging words from a popular song, “Losing” by Tenth Avenue North:

“Oh, Father won’t You forgive them?

They don’t know what they’ve been doin’

Oh, Father, give me grace to forgive them

‘Cause I feel like the one losin’”

If Christ loves us and forgives us, as he does,then why would we not extend such grace to others?

Relationships are more important than being right. 

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” — Lewis B. Smedes

Can I get gut-level honest with you? At one point we have all been the hurter.

Hurt people, hurt people. This saying has many different individuals credited, including Mother Teresa. Whoever first coined this, they knew a true and profound truth.

A reflective question is, “When you’ve been the hurter, have you learned, become better as you process through and made amends?” Sometimes things come out (of the mouth and our reactions) sideways or upside down. When this happens, it can’t just stop there. We need to do the hard work and make things right. If we misspeak or speak in hurt, next we need to react in loving kindness. The word is mis-speak, which means to express oneself insufficiently clearly or accurately.

“Broken is right where God wants us — and right where he can powerfully reassemble us.” — Elisa Morgan

From Tauren Wells, in the song, “God’s Not Done With You,” be encouraged by these words:

“Standing in your ruins, feels a lot like the end

So used to losing, you’re afraid to try again

Right now all you see are ashes

Where there was a flame

The truth is that you’re not forgotten

‘Cause Grace knows your name”

A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17

“God’s not done with you 

It’s not over, it’s only begun

So don’t hide, don’t run

‘Cause God’s not done with you”

That’s a starting point.

He’s got a plan, this is part of it

He’s gonna finish what He started

God’s not done writing your story

No, he’s not done

God’s not done with you!

I challenge you to make one step today in starting to forgive those who have hurt you.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 ESV

I challenge you to make one step today toward healing hurts that have occurred because of you.

But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. Psalm 38:18 NIV

He was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds. — Elisa Morgan

Walking with you in humbleness.