Let's imagine we're the soldiers in one of the caves of En Gedi with David and Saul. Why didn't he harm Saul? Do you think David forgave Saul? How about the evils Saul had done against David? Had he forgotten them already? In popular culture and over the years I have heard people around me say, “I can forgive, but I cannot forget.” This begs the question, when we forgive someone, should we also forget what they have done? Do you think David should've forgotten the royal malfeasance? In the Bible, Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV) reads, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” These words: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and malice are intense, negative words, and if remembering what a forgiven person has done evokes or elicits any of these negative emotions and actions in us, I suggest forgetting. However, this quote I found online says it better, “Forgiveness is not about forgetting. Forgiveness is about remembering without the pain.” Gertrude, a blog writer at Mywindowsill.com shares, “Remembering without pain is one of the best guarantees that healing and forgiveness is complete.” If you have forgiven someone, but are still struggling with forgetting, ask God to show you how you can remember without the pain. Also, may I make a suggestion? Try to remember the lessons that God has taught you as a result of what happened with this person and how it has impacted your life in a positive way. Challenge: Forgiving and forgetting is made possible when we trust in the goodness of God--One who is not only loving and merciful but faithful and just to all. As we believe in the goodness of God, we will be able to speak like David: "May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you!" (1 Samuel 24: 12 LEB) Written & Edited by
Covered & Kept Ministries Board & Team
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“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17 “You are here moving in our midst, I worship You, I worship You… You are Way-maker, Miracle-Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness. My God, that is who You are.” Ever since Waymaker’s release, these lyrics has stayed with me and whenever I want a reminder of the lyrics, I’d replay the song on YouTube. Today’s experience brought me back to the song once more—not because I needed some cogent encouragement packaged in a mellifluous piece, but because of one man’s faith. He stared death in the face but he held onto God. In his own words, he said God is the Way-maker, Miracle-Worker, Promise-keeper, and Light in the darkness. The man trusted God; he trusted God at His words. “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17) This promise was fulfilled in this man’s life and we come to know him as one of the survivors of the Rwanda Genocide. Challenge: Sometimes we don’t pray because we don’t want to be disappointed. This week, I want all of us to take decisions based on faith instead of fears. Let us ask God to fulfill the promise of Jeremiah 30:17 in our lives. PS: Stay tuned for the upcoming testimonies shared by this man of faith I met earlier. Written & Edited by
Covered & Kept Ministries Board & Team Growing up, I faced some intense hardships, one of which was enduring PTSD while my son suffered from congenital heart defects. His conditions led to multiple congenital heart surgeries and the experience was traumatizing. However, it became a testament to how far God had brought me and how truly dependent I am on Jesus. I focused on staying strong for my son and that was when my faith—the tiny little faith that was dormant—had to revive! I began to pray more than I had ever prayed before. It was like the parable of the mustard seed. As I chose to trust, emptied myself and my emotions, and allowed God to fill me with His Holy Spirit, He worked miracles to reveal that He was there helping me get back on track. My faith grew more and more! Then, I realized the devil started attacking me as soon as I began walking with the Lord, and that this fight was not mine but rather God’s. As our forefathers have exhorted centuries ago, we fight wickedness in high places (spiritual warfare), and these battles must be fought with faith. When you feel you are too weak to go any further, rest assured that “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” Mathew 17:20 Challenge: Strengthen your faith by prayer and surround yourself with fellow believers. May I make a suggestion? Don't underestimate the vitality of a seed. Written & Edited by
Covered & Kept Ministries Board & Team |
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March 2020
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