Hammer on Anvil '

This week I had the chance to offend someone more thoroughly and irreconcilably than I ever thought possible before. Unintentional though was the offense and sincere the apology there was no turning around the situation and the more apologetic the more entrenched was the un-forgiveness and belligerent the attitude. For a person like myself so eager to be on good terms with everyone around me this ends up being a harder thing to deal with than I could have imagined. Everyone who witnessed the event saw that there was no malice in my actions or ill intent in my words, but that could not help them from being received differently than intended and twisted to incur an offense where none should have been. This is an area of attack I had not seen Satan work in in my life, but can tell you it came down harder on my countenance and has been more consistently upon my thoughts and heart than anything of recent memory. There are a few things I'm trying to learn through all of this. First no matter how innocent or obvious you think a joke may come across, that it probably isn't the best lead in for a first meeting with someone's parents. Additionally that assuming someone will be similar to their parents isn't always necessarily the case. That some people are predisposed to be disagreeable and honestly no matter how you try and interact with them it is destined for offense and for rejection. But this brings it all back to how I've had to deal with it. I mean this has really bothered me and kept me awake, no matter how much I try to forget and move on Satan keeps attempting to throw it back in my face. So the idea of constant prayer has been particularly important to me this week. That anytime the thought or situation comes upon my mind that immediately I reach out to God in prayer and pass it on to him to handle. I know it is out of my control, I know it is not something that God is bring conviction about, but is rather satan trying to work in condemnation on me, and I know the only way through this is to consistently and repeatedly release it back to the Lord. I mean if there isn't room for forgiveness from the Lord for the stupid naive words of a thirty something bearded goofball like myself then there is no hope for mankind. Fortunately though there is and these offenses against one another, these ignorant decisions we make can all be washed away and if they're remembered no more by the Lord then eventually through constant renewing of the mind then we'll learn how to do the same and move on with our lives in him and for him. I'm unwilling to sit back and take this deceit and discouragement from the author of lies, but I'm unable at the same time to get past it myself. Fortunately I have an avenue to reach the only person capable of the impossible and that my friend is prayer. Simple, but comprehensive.

If there's something of this nature bothering you that is outside of your means to resolve and it keeps eating away at you consider offering it up in prayer. As cheesy as it sounds to say just give it to the Lord that is also the best actual and genuine advice I could give to you. Every moment of every second hand those burdens over to the Lord. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light. It won't necessarily result in instant victory or freedom of thought, but by establishing a clear path to the Lord then you can begin to see him work and redeem your thoughts. He's still working and redeeming mine.