Forgiveness and Leftovers

[bishopbiscuits]

........Sometimes it is hard to forgive ourselves. I would like to share a little story that might be helpful.

........Forgiveness and Leftovers....

.........A child of adequate age and ability was being given the responsibility of managing the kitchen of a home. They lived there with a parent, and they both liked to entertain guests in their home.
........One day, about a month or so later, the parent and child were coming together for a snack in the kitchen. They will be having guests in a few days, and so....
........"Let's take a look at the refrigerator" , the parent said.
........Now, this wasn't  just an ordinary refrigerator. It was new, tall and wide, with two doors, two sides, and had lots of room. It was beautiful, and you could tell that it was well designed and well made.
.......They both walk towards the refrigerator.  The child takes a few quick steps to get ahead of the parent.  As the child opened the first side, the parent said....
......." Oh wow! Very good job over here. We may need to organize it, but it's in very good shape. I see some things we can use when  company comes by."
......."Thank you", said the child. "Let's go finish our snack."
....." Not just yet" the parent said. "We need to look at the other side."
......"It's fine" the child said, walking towards the table. " Have a seat. We can look at it later."
......."If it looks like the first part, this won't take long, and it will help with the shopping. Best to know what you have before going to the store." , the parent said.
........As the parent began to open the other side, they noticed that the door had a sticky substance on it, making it harder to open the door. There were dead bugs, some recognizeable food, and something wrapped in plastic at the bottom back corner.
.......It smelled badly, looked worse, and all the child could do was cry at the sight of the mess. The parent was speechless at first.
........"Well, we might as well get this stuff out of here" the parent said.
........The child sobbed and cried out " I didn't mean to do it! I can't stand to look at it. I'll make it alright. Please close the door!"
.......As the parent sat down, they talked. Then they cleaned. And the refrigerator became as good as new, with both sides looking great.
.........A few years later, they sat down in the same kitchen with that same refrigerator, having tea together.
........"My dear child. I must say that I am proud of how you take such good care of things in the kitchen, especially the old refrigerator. But I sometimes feel like you take it beyond the call of duty.
......"I recall what you told me about what happened several years ago. Some food was in there too long. You accidentally unplugged it, then moved the food that was going bad all to one side. When no one else was home, you tried to let some of the smell out by propping the door open to the fridge, and putting a fan by the kitchen door to try to blow it out of the house. But this attracted flies. Once you closed it, you became too afraid to open it.
......"I know that then and now you want to make me proud.  But there seems to be some bitterness and anger mixed with your determination to do what I have asked of you.
......."If it weren't for what I see in your eyes and actions, I would have no memories of what happened back then. Once we talked about it and worked out the matter, I was through with it.
......."Were you so disappointed, hurt, and angry with yourself that you have never forgiven yourself?"
......." You are my precious child. I love you. You were no less my child when you made mistakes, and no more my child when you made me pleased. the difference is, that correction isn't comfortable for either of us, but it is necessary.
........"There is a difference between self-correction and self-condemnation. Self correction is drawing upon past experience to help make current events work out better. A reminder.
......."Self-condemnation is using the past as a tool to punish and control yourself. It says that your actions must justify you, or that you are beyond full redemption, because you are not perfect. It mocks you and blocks your true value from you.  And every mistake makes the inner torment of self- condemnation increase in intensity.
......."In some way, you may not feel like you deserve forgiveness for what you have done in the past. But I forgave you then. The refrigerator can be replaced, but you are one of a kind. There are no substitutes for you. No imitation is sufficient.
......" I just felt that there was a sadness in your eyes sometimes, and it occurred to me that if this event or something like it is making you hold back your full self, it can affect the rest of your life.
......" Do you need peace in this type of area?"
....As the child listened, tears began to well up. At the end,with a sobbing "Yes!", they ran into their parent's arms.
......"Let's pray together and ask God to help you clean out the inner 'refrigerator' " said the parent.


......We are like that child, and our Heavenly Father like the parent. May we take hold of His hand and work with Him when it comes to the "refrigerator" of our hearts and minds.
......God will encourage and challenge you to grow from an experience. Not to be held captive by it. Echoes of mockery, relentless criticism, seeking peace through  "perfectionism" can be strongholds in our lives. And they actually make us try to earn what was given to us freely through Christ.
.......We do learn how to do many things through others, at times picking up bad habits along the way with regard to ourselves. Dealing with human "forgiveness"  sometimes makes it hard to accept God's forgiveness that comes from His unconditional love.  

Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

2 Corinthians 7:9 - Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 - For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.


Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.


Isaiah 54:17 - No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD

....If an event from your past has caused you to doubt your worth, your ability, to fear some imagined ultimate failure/rejection, or to relive over and over again events that should be over, my standing prayer now is that you know that God is for you, not against you. You may need to make some separation, and consecrate yourself. Get into the Potters hands again, and call yourself what He calls you, and not what circumstances and people have trained you to call yourself. He knows your true form, and will help you to take the shape of the promise and purpose He designed just for you.
...... By even having the breath of life in us and the mind and heart to repent right now, we can begin moving into restoration in our hearts and minds . And moreso, that we all might have the courage to take God's hand, and meet this challenge.