That's what friends are for!

Many years ago at the little country church I attended, altar calls were the norm.  Most every service the invitation was given, as well as the opening up of the altar for those who just needed to come and pray.

One Sunday morning, to my surprise, this woman whom I considered to be a pillar of the church, stood up, looked my way, nodded at me as if to say "Meet me there," and headed that way.  Thinking she must want me to pray with her over something, I arose and went to the front of the church with her, got to my knees beside of her, and then listened to her apologize to me over some hard feelings she had had over me.  Dumbfounded, I could only stare as she continued speaking in a tone of authority.  She apologized and said we were to go on because it wasn't even hardly worth speaking of.  Being young in the faith, I agreed, we prayed, hugged, and...we went on.

How simple it was!  She made no bones about being wrong for her negative thinking but...but she also was so assured in her faith and--I guess--in me as well that she knew this matter would be resolved without any fanfare.  She knew her Bible, knew her God, and knew this was the thing to do to maintain fellowship with Him and with me as well--even though I was unaware of her harsh feelings over an incident that I cannot even recall.  

What was the result of this action?  Well, as I mentioned, I was younger in the faith then than I am now so it showed me the way to live the Bible, to live the verses that were being taught, and to be a doer of the Word instead of just a hearer.  She taught me something that day that had to do with forgiveness, sure, but she also taught me that I could rely on the older women in the faith, not necessarily just in age because she and I were similar in our birth years. 

As children of God, we are commanded to look out for one another in many ways.  My pastor is beginning to teach the church those ways on Sunday mornings through the book of I Thessalonians should you desire to know more.  For those of you who don't live nearby, you can watch the videos of these teachings at https://www.facebook.com/clarkschapel.baptistchurch

In conclusion, this issue of forgiveness is tough--but only if we let it be.  Why not choose instead to deal with things that have caused discord and do it in a matter-of-fact method instead of holding grudges and losing out on fellowship and peace?  Yes, I do know some things are harder to let go of than others because this is an issue I have struggled with for decades now.  But, when I look back on this episode of my life, perhaps had I allowed myself to be mentored to more, studied the Word of God more thoroughly, and realized how important some people are to me--more so than the hurts I was holding onto--my life might have been more peaceably lived.  Instead of the weight of these burdens around my neck, on my back, and stifling my heart, perhaps I could have lived that joy-filled life of abundance that God has promised to me when I follow His commands.  

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, thank You for this memory of Tammy Williams and how she affected my spiritual walk when I was still a toddler in the faith.  I pray that her example will stand firm in my mind as I stand before You, realizing that no good comes from holding onto bitterness.  May I choose the good things instead, Father, as I mature ever more in Your Word is my prayer.  Amen.