Embrace the newness!

I was thinking on how we are reluctant in accepting new things, new habits that will, for a temporary season, compromise our stability.
We get used to a brand of rice and when a friend refers us to a new one, if not disinclined about the change we, at least, give a try in a very sceptical way.
New things are introduced daily into our life by all means of communication. Some pose a threat; others come to improve our way of living, teaching us to spare time, money and physical distress.
I just remembered about this new word “browsing” at the shop displays. We were so used to say to the kind sales person we were just taking a look but all of a sudden the trendy word is “I am just browsing”. And if you think about “browsing”, a word adopted from computer terminology, for me it is the real expression of what we are doing at the shop display – we are looking through!
Spiritually speaking, we also need to be able to embrace the newness that the Holy Spirit is giving to each of us daily. The world is developing in such a way that technology is renewed by the hour, so why we are not going to accept the awareness that the Spirit of God is willing to offer us so that we can discern about what is good or not?
Whenever you are exposed to something new in your spiritual life: new directions, a new challenge, a new approach, do not just disregard it. Meditate, read through the Scriptures, reason about what is happening around you and keep an attitude of readiness for what is good and new.
"...since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:9b-10 NIV)

About forgiveness

As we women are so much led by what we feel, we think, we imagine, we constantly face internal conflicts when it comes to forgiveness.

I am not referring to forgive one another but to feel forgiven.

We all did, do and will do wrong, say words that we regret five minutes later, take attitudes that will bring consequences for days to come and there we are filling up our centre of emotions with a luggage of guilty and despair.

For some the circle goes on up until they meet Jesus and they experience His forgiveness, and then they turn into new creatures, light inside and revived for a new life.

Others will still meet Jesus, will be forgiven but will not feel forgiven and guilty and shame will accompany them inside and outside the church.

Why this happens to many no matter what Bible reading is given to them, which prayer or blessing is bestowed upon them?

The answer is very simple; the last ones are not able to forgive themselves!

They understand all about the sacrifice Jesus did on the cross to erase their sins and give them life but they can only comprehend the words however they cannot grasp the full meaning of His sacrifice to change their lives.

They feel unclean as if they do not qualify for His sacrifice and keep on carrying a luggage of sin that was already long forgiven on the cross.

What to do? Do not only acknowledge that God has forgiven you but also forgive yourself. Confront your mistakes, your wrong doings, the consequences that you may be paying for up to now but know that it ends there: after your own confrontation.

Do not carry it around. Let your past, your faults, your shortcomings go of you, free your heart of this guilty and shame – you do not need to carry it anymore if you just forgive yourself!

God is so great and omniscient that He knew you would go through this so He left this message for you:

“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20

Now, cling to your forgiveness and feel forgiven for a new life.