Quote from Forum Archives on June 11, 2001, 9:53 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This message is about two things: trust and forgiveness. As the
writer of today's message explains, they are related. Have you
ever had a relationship with someone that completely broke down?
Was it a friendship, a marriage, a business partnership, or
something else?

Of course, it is best to make amends, whenever possible, in each
of these situations. But every one of us knows someone, (maybe
even ourselves) who have failed in one or more relationships. I,
too, am one of those people. I have failed to resolve
differences in past relationships. Like the author of the
message today, I experienced great remorse and regret from those
situations. I knew I had not given everything to God, nor did
the other individual. But I also learned that I could be
forgiven, and I also learned, first hand, through many tears,
that I could forgive as well.

Those kind of situations test our ability to trust another
person. It takes time to heal. I learned that trust and healing
are also things that our loving God provides. Those things
become clear when we personally come to grips with our own deep
needs.

For me, I found forgiveness, healing, and trust when I confessed
my need for all of these things before God. I needed forgiveness
for my sinful acts, which He freely gave me when I asked. I
needed healing for my broken spirit. God provided that as well
when I asked. I needed trust. God granted that as well, when I
first trusted Him.

The author quotes Proverbs 3:5. The New Living Translation of
the Bible, which can be found online at
www.newlivingtranslation.com/, offers this easy to
understand version of verses 5 and 6: "5 Trust in the LORD with
all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek
his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."

This is precisely the place that Rod and I eventually found
ourselves, and where all who earnestly seek God must end up. It
starts by admitting that there is a problem, and that we are
powerless on our own to do something about it, but that we do
have an advocate, the one who provides the Way. His name is
Jesus Christ. Let us acknowledge Him today as our source, and
bring Him praise as we seek His Way. That is the beginning of a
trust that really makes a difference.

Your brother in Christ,
Brian

Reply-to: Rod Marshall <rmarshall@chelt.ac.uk>, <daily@presbycan.ca>
From: PCCWeb Daily Devotional <daily@presbycan.ca
Subject: Daily Devotional for Monday, June 11, 2001

PCCWeb Daily

Monday, June 11, 2001
Today's Devotional

Trust

Psalm 143:8 - Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing
love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should
go, for to you I lift up my soul. (NIV)

Things did not work out with my first marriage. I suppose we
grew up and the process changed us.

It is strange to recognize that God forgave me, long before I
forgave myself, or before I was able to trust Him to repair my
lost self-esteem. God felt a million miles away as I hung on by
my fingernails, slowly slipping down the greasy slope into the
abyss.

Thankfully, during this time I was surrounded by a group of God's
angels, some human, who threw me a life-line. Very soon, perhaps
too soon, I found someone in this group to walk with me. She was
gentle but strong inside. One day a cloud arrived as I grasped
at, and held, the relationship tightly and I decided that I never
wanted to let her go.

In my mind I saw her clutched in my hand. I remembered the
plight of flowers, clutched in the hand, that die, out of reach
of sustenance. In contrast, flowers that grow free, even when
they die away, have unseen resources to come back to blossom
again next year.

I had not given this new relationship into the Creator's hands.
I knew inside He wanted me to sort it out. I was miserable. The
trouble was that, after my broken marriage, my trust in all
things personal had taken a severe knock, and I was too scared of
losing her to take the risk. To my shame I fought and resisted
for some weeks before I relented.

Having finally fulfilled this obligation to God, I soon wondered
if she would have me back. I am glad that eventually she said,
"Yes". Things were then different. The cloud had gone. God
breathed new life into this relationship. We are now happily
married, and have been for over seven years.

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding. (NIV)

Prayer: Father, in times of weakness and oppression, strengthen
us, so that we may be more able to follow You. In our day ahead,
grant us wisdom to see the need in those who travel alongside us,
and Your grace to take You with us as we walk in step with
them. Amen.

Rod Marshall rmarshall@chelt.ac.uk Cheltenham, Gloucestershire,
England

Today's Canadian Bible Society Scripture Reading: Acts 11:19-30
bible.gospelcom.net/bible?Acts+11:19-30

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jthurd@nb.sympatico.ca.

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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