Bold Love

I've been reading a book called "Bold Love" by Dr. Dan B. Allender and Dr. Tremper Longman III. I think I've alluded to it before possibly. The thing that has been sticking out to me this week is in a chapter called "Hungering for Restoration". Allow me to quote a few things that have stuck out to me.

"To forgive another means to cancel the debt of what is owed in order to provide a door of opportunity for repentance and restoration of the broken relationship"

"Biblical forgiveness is never unconditional and one-sided. It is not letting others go off scot-free, "forgiven," and enabled to do harm again without any consequence. Instead forgiveness is an invitation to reconciliation, not the blind, cheap granting of it."

"Forgiveness involves a heart that cancels the debt but does not lend new money until repentance occurs. A forgiving heart opens the door to any who knock. But entry into that home (that is, the heart) does not occur until the muddy shoes and dirty coat have been taken off. the offender must repent if true intimacy and reconciliation are ever to take place. That means that cheap forgiveness - peace at any cost that sacrifices honesty, integrity, and passion - is not true forgiveness."

But along with all that is a deep hunger to see the person who offended you repent so that reconciliation can occur. I think it is very easy to say you forgive someone for a wrong done against you, but then go and ignore the person whenever possible instead of actively seeking reconciliation with that person. I can't say it as good as the authors say it: "Forgiveness is far more than a business transaction; it is the sacrifice o a heartbroken Father who weeps over the loss of His child and longs to see the child restored to life and love and goodness. Forgiveness always involves the strongest emotions of the soul. It always beats with a fervor for the offender and the relationship to be restored to beauty. "

Along a little different trail, but in the same chapter, it talked about a man who had been a compulsive eater, hooked on porn and codependent in relationships. His one goal in life was to be free of the struggle with the temptations. But once he began to really look at the deeper issues of life, he came face to face with his hatred of God and other things came to light and he began to desire much more. "Joining a far more important crusade than symptom resolution brought about an ennobling passion that made the passion for pornography, food, and codependent relationships look pale in contrast. No one will leave an addiction or compulsion unless a competing passion is offered that gives a taste of what the soul was meant to enjoy. Only heaven with the beauty of restoration is a big enough passion to draw us away from the petty distractions and cheap addictions of this sorry world."

That really caught me this morning when I read that. What am I truly passionate about? Is my passion heaven, or am I sidelined by the busyness of life, my hobbies, my job, my dreams? What really is driving my life?

So there you have a little of what I want to inspire me in the coming week.

Hope everyone has a lovely week.

Comments

  1. Hi Aurelia
    I'm trying to show Mom how to commenton your blog. Let's see if this goes thru.

    ReplyDelete

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