Serendipitous Intervention Page 40

We’ve all made mistakes and harbor regrets.  This means different things to each of us.  Within our regrets we see the worst of ourselves. Because of this, we sometimes deem ourselves as unworthy and we title ourselves the same! We may relive and rehash our disappointments and then stay close to what we have purposely classified ourselves because we believe we deserve it.  Such is the business of regret!  In doing so we unwittingly starve our souls of the one thing that it deserves -forgiveness...and within that an ability to begin again…to change!

A Mistake is, in itself, a definition of a misdeed -not a defining of who we are as a person...yet many of us internally overlook this truth!  Some are forced to live under the weight of our mistakes due to the legal repercussions of our choices.  Some of us live under its weight to self-punish.  With these and other reasons, we struggle with our mistakes- for they usually bring such toil.  

There is one thing powerful enough to free us from the bonds of our mistakes; unfortunately, we humans would rather struggle and search the world for another way to rectify our missteps. However, most times there is only one way out and that is through the power of forgiveness!  It’s amazing to me that forgiveness has so much sway. It is literally a legal tool called probation; a financial tool called a write-off; a relational tool called recommitment; a parental tool called unconditional love; a compassionate tool called mercy and a spiritual tool called salvation.  Forgiveness releases us; it frees us.  Forgiveness saves us from a moral, emotional death and as Christians we believe it is a spiritual mechanism that saves us from an eternal death.  Scripture says….

“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

 We all know that here on earth sin presses in and never release us- for we are chronically pursued by a restless heart-that is wicked above all else.  There will never be away around sin and selfishness…and avoidance of this truth is irrational.  Therefore, something more spiritual will have to reign.  Even those of us that are not necessarily “religious” use the invisible tool of forgiveness to maintain relationships with others.  This is the same concept Christians use to stay in the will of God. You see, there must be a way to reconcile our sinful hearts and find some peace.  Forgiveness is the way, yet mortal man did not have the ability to accomplish this- so God, Himself had to come to earth to set an example.  He did so through the body and teachings of Jesus, Christ. The truth that we need to be saved from our own wickedness is morally obvious, yet it gets clouded in this immoral world!  Forgiveness brings the exact clarity we need!

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,
 but worldly sorrow brings death.”

2 Corinthians 7: 10

When we find that we can’t stand the weight of our mistakes any longer...and when we feel that the person we’ve become is simply not what we were meant to be...a mental and spiritual door appears before us. With this juxtaposition, change has just placed itself on the horizon and presented us an alternative to our current existence.   Frequently, it takes more time than necessary to arrive at this doorway leading to change...but it will present itself sooner or later....because through the conscious mind the Holy Spirit has a way of bringing things that are not....into being.  The world of psychology may call it mind-over-matter and others may simply title it serendipity, but I call it divine intervention.  No matter what you deem it....it will eventually arrive and will not delay for that is how God works.

There is a scripture that I love that speaks of this exact serendipitous intervention:  

 “For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Habakkuk 2:3

This seems like a tongue twister...or a mystery to be solved.  To me it is a form of power- the power of the written word.  The writer is stating with certainty that the appointed time will arrive and will not delay.  

The act of forgiveness may linger unused but will arrive in our lives when we graciously surrender ourselves to it.  Either way, it has an appointed time and will ultimately end our suffering.  It is our choice if forgiveness lingers...or comes without delay.    We can wait in the realm of bitterness till its nasty affects leave us resentful and rotten...yet sooner or later forgiveness will present itself as the merciful option for all involved.  We will either surrender and forgive or doom ourselves to this bitterness and its canny ability to consume us to the very end.  

Truly you are aware that the ability to forgive is held within you.  There is something in us that stirs this hope.   IT is my belief that God placed it there, as a gift.  This blessed and merciful gift is there for us to give without hesitation and without being asked-to others and most importantly to ourselves.  To do so, we may have to push past the reputation we’ve created for ourselves and find our integrity.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory

 and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. 

After he had provided purification for sins,

 he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Hebrews 1: 3

Song Recommendation:

Changed
By:  Rascal Flatts

This writing is about forgiveness between us humans.  The gift of forgiveness is the basis of Christianity and is the example we use in our pursuit to forgive.  The ultimate act of forgiveness was exhibited when Jesus died on a cross like a criminal to pay a debt.  The debt he paid was not His own…. but ours; mine and yours!  When a crime is committed a punishment ensues.  Sin is the crime and a mortal body is the punishment.  As a Christian we believe that Jesus died on the cross as a final punishment to our criminally sinful nature and He rose again on the 3^rd day as an indication that He defeated sin and death.  We have a spiritual victory over human nature and an eternal promise through our belief in Christ.  In other words, We are a spiritual being with an eternal destiny.  Let's not miss it!