so the passion can come back…

job 5.2 (nlt) says, resentment destroys the fool and jealousy kills the simple.  please note the two words,  “resentment” and “jealousy.”  those are two passion killers. 

resentment is allowing somebody to continue to hurt you over something that’s long in your past.  they may be out of the picture.  they may be even dead.  but they’re still hurting you because you’re still resenting it.  you’re still thinking about it again and again and again.

the bible says in job 18.4 (gnt), you’re only hurting yourself with your anger. 

they don’t even know that you’re angry at them.  they don’t know that you’re staying up nights still reliving it again and again in your mind. 

and if you’re going to keep your relationships healthy then you and i when there’s a conflict have to go to the person and try to solve the conflict.  that’s the first step.  but what do you do if they won’t let you solve it?  what do you do if they won’t let go?  what do you do if they’re gone and you can’t go to them and solve that relational conflict? 

this is why forgiveness is so important.  this is why we have to make the step of saying, “GOD, i put it in YOUr hands and take it out of my hands.” 

listen, forgiveness is not saying they were right.  forgiveness is not saying that GOD’s not going to judge them for what they did that was wrong.  it’s saying, “i'm taking it out of my hands, GOD.  i forgive them.  it’s in YOUr hands.  i can’t hold it in my heart because if i do that resentment is going to destroy me and steal passion from me every single day of my life.  you have to forgive.  ask GOD’s strength to let it go. 

some of you right now, god brought you here today to the front porch to give you the opportunity right now to say, ”GOD, give me the strength.  i forgive them.” 

you’re going to have to say that, if you’re like me, a hundred times during the next week.  i forgive them.  i remind myself once again that i forgive them.  it’s going to come to your mind again and again.  but as you do that you’ll feel the passion begin to be strengthened in your life.  because an unresolved conflict always kills our passion. 

listen that is why some of your marriages have no passion. unresolved conflict and you need to forgive so the passion can come back.

just a thought from the front porch…