I must say...with every church I visit, God reveals something new to me. And I really feel that He's saying, "You're doing the right thing. Don't stop. Keep visiting."
For those who've followed The Dialogue Den for a while, you know that I was reluctant to embark upon my "Season of Visitation" because my pastor has always warned against "eating from too many spiritual tables." He says that the result can lead to "spiritual diarrhea." So for that reason, I waited at LEAST two years before I began my journey. What I realize now though, is that I'm not actually "eating from too many spiritual tables." I am still "eating" what is being served by Christ, by way of The Bible.
Now maybe if I were visiting places of worship of other faiths, then perhaps I would get "sick" and confused. But I have been attending CHRISTIAN, Bible-believing, Bible-teaching churches...so it is well with my soul.
Interestingly, I believe that I am actually growing SPIRITUALLY in ways that I would not have been had I not decided to do this.
So...back to today's visit.
This one actually has a story behind it. That story centers around "Joe."
As you may recall..."Joe" and I had a bit of a "falling out" and I hadn't seen nor heard from him since May 24th. Something happened that I was having an EXTREMELY difficult time forgiving him for.
There have even been times when I wanted to write a SCATHING letter to him...telling him how I felt, and a whole lotta other stuff that wasn't very "Christ-like." I never wrote it though.
Oh, I wrote, and re-wrote it HUNDREDS of times IN MY HEAD...but I never put the words to paper. Didn't mean that I didn't WANT to...just meant that I hadn't gotten around to it.
So we fast forward to the Friday before last which was the day that I selected the next church to visit from my bowl.
Wouldn't you know it. The church I selected was the one that "Joe" pretty much grew up in. Attended service, sang in the choir, etc.
I went last Sunday on what I think was the new Pastor's very first day of delivering the message. The church is 66 years old and he is only the 3rd Pastor they've had there. That's pretty good as churches go.
I enjoyed the message, and looked forward to returning this Sunday.
Days passed and I went on about my merry way. Still no word from "Joe"...and I still hadn't written the letter.
On Thursday night though..."something" happened. I actually posted about this a couple days ago, but I'll briefly recount it here as well.
Before our "falling out", I prayed for "Joe" DAILY. Asking nothing less than for God to BLESS him. Since the "falling out", those prayers became less and less frequent until I finally just stopped praying for him altogether. I didn't pray for any harm to come to him...I just stopped praying PERIOD.
Until...last Thursday night.
I was tired, but couldn't sleep. Found myself up waaay later than I should have been for a work night.
I eventually headed to bed and before I got in, I knelt down beside it and prayed...for "Joe." Even though I didn't know where he was or how he was doing...God knew. Interestingly, I found myself once again praying for him to be BLESSED.
Now if you knew what he had done to me, (and only THREE people do), you would say, "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? You really want God to BLESS him?!?"
I know...it doesn't make sense in a "worldly" sense, but from the Christian standpoint, I had to forgive him, and...ask that he be BLESSED, not CURSED. "The world" doesn't understand that, and never will. "The world" is all about hurting them as badly or worse than they hurt you. "The world" is all about VENGEANCE.
Christ however, understands it fully, and since He is the ONLY one I need to answer to, it behooves me to do things as He would do, and not "the world."
So, I said my prayer and went to sleep.
Hours later, the phone rang. I didn't get to it in time. I looked to see who it was, and rolled back over.
It rang again. It was "Joe" and I didn't answer. I didn't know what to say, nor did I want to hear what HE had to say (at least I didn't think so.)
It rang again. This time I answered.
I didn't say much. I may have only said "Hello."
He did most of the talking. As he spoke I realized that the call was as much for him as it was for me. Maybe even moreso for him. As I listened to the words flow from his mouth to my ears, I realized then why I hadn't written the letters. I realized then, why I had forgiven him even when I didn't know if I'd ever hear from him again. I needed to release the anger, bitterness and hurt, so that there could be room for love, kindness and understanding.
I wish I could share all the things he said, but some things are only meant for the two parties involved (and God.) All I know is that it changed things...positively.
I don't know where he and I will go from here. I just know that wherever we go, either separate or together...we can go with forgiveness and love leading the way.
Was it an accident that "Joe's" church was the one that was pulled from my bowl? If you know me, then you already know my answer.
Maybe God needed me to sit in the place where "Joe" once did, so that I could feel a connection...ANY kind of connection that would soften my heart toward him. What better place to be re-connected than in the same place where he once praised and worshiped God. With God, there are no mistakes, or accidents. Everything happens for a reason.
As I do each time I visit, I'll have you to know that today (and last Sunday), I attended Greater Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Who knows. Maybe today wasn't my last time. Perhaps one day I'll go again...with "Joe."
On this "30 Days of THANKFULNESS: Day 27" - I am THANKFUL Christ being the PERFECT example of FORGIVENESS.
Without His example, I'd be holding on to a WHOLE LOTTA stuff that would slowly be eating me up inside. That my friends, is simply no way to live.
Now Let the DIALOGUE begin: Is there anyone you need to forgive. Or are you harboring unforgiveness because in YOUR mind...what that person did to you is simply UNFORGIVEABLE? Think about that before you answer. Then think about ALL that Christ has forgiven YOU for. Then answer.
Talk to me!
Til next time...
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