Great Is Your FaithfulnessSample

Faithful to Teach

Yesterday we talked about the faithfulness of God to forgive us when we fall short, humbly repent, confess our sin before Him, and choose to turn away from sin and obey the commands of God in how to live. If you have wholeheartedly received the merciful gift of God's forgiveness through the work of His Son Jesus, then you know how abundantly rich this gift truly is! It's a death-to-life kind of transformation! There's no way you could earn it. I could never repay Him for it. And yet we have a tendency to withhold from others what we've so lavishly received from an Almighty God.

My friend Jay walked through a truly dark season, one that played out much like a stellar plot-thickening movie on Lifetime. At one point, he found himself, locked in jail, multiple states away from his family, and coming to grips with the reality of the cards life had dealt and how he had chosen to play them. Hear from his own words about the faithfulness of God to teach him a better way to live.

Adopted into a Christian family as a toddler and raised as a “Preacher’s Kid”, I was steeped in teachings on God’s faithfulness to forgive and His love for us. The Bible is abounding with accounts of God’s faithfulness to forgive and the mercy which He desires to show forth. However, if you’re like me then maybe you’ve missed a step along the way.

In Matthew 6, Jesus shares a truth that many Christians conveniently overlook, and I am no exception. Due to many things beyond my control, as well as things within my control--abandonment, abuses as a child of unthinkable nature, afflictions and addictions, I found my whole world in flames and I was standing within the rumble, matches in hand. We can point to all the symptoms; however, in God’s faithfulness, the Holy Spirit exposed the root.

Alone, broken and searching, I sat reading Mark 6 and the Holy Spirit stopped me with a phrase: "Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him." (Mark 6:19)

It was a kick to the chest and an epiphany all at once. I clearly heard the Spirit say, “When you nurse a bitter grudge, something in your life has to die: Opportunities, Relationships, Dreams, Purpose…You. Something must die. FORGIVE!” I wrestled for a moment, “I have forgiven!”

What I have been shown through this simple phrase was that at the core of all my dysfunction was unforgiveness and my desire for acknowledgement and justice. I had forgiven with my mouth but still held out for more in my heart. Hebrews 12 talks of a “bitter root” which “springs up to cause trouble and defile many”. Resentment, offenses, bitterness all sum up to unforgiveness.

God desires for us to take hold of His promises, yet first He requires our obedience. He has taught me through His faithfulness to forgive as I have chosen to follow Him in my own obedience to forgive. He has restored my family and redeemed my life from the pit. I am no longer a victim, coping with the effects of unforgiveness, but a victor--forgiven and free.

Dig a Little Deeper

God has a way of using His faithfulness in a particular area to teach us how to live more effectively and obediently, according to His Word. As you faithfully read His Word, it will challenge areas in the way you live, the condition of your heart, teaching you a better way. What area of His faithfulness, that we've discussed thus far, has challenged you to do a personal survey and adjust your daily decisions?