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Tiffany Ann Lewis: Break Out! Let Love Win
by Tiffany Ann Lewis
February 14, 2014
by Tiffany Ann Lewis
February 14, 2014
A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19
There
seems to be some difficulty in the translation of this text. Some
scholars see the text as reading (Douay-Rheims Bible), "A brother that
is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like
the bars of cities." The Aramaic Bible in Plain English translates it
like this: "A brother is helped by his brother, like a city by its
fortress, and they hold it like the bars of a fortress."
Either
way, what seems crystal clear to me is that offenses such as
bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness, can become a type of prison
if left unresolved. Oh sure, at first it feels like those bars are
protecting the heart from more hurt, but the truth is, they are
preventing individuals from the ultimate relational goal that God has
designed. God designed human beings for fellowship with Him and each
other; "It is not good for the man to be alone..." (Genesis 2:18)
Forgiving
someone may be one of the hardest choices a Christian will ever make.
With anger, hurt, and a very real sense of injustice fueling the fire of
our emotions, we are faced with a very difficult decision...to forgive
or not to forgive.
The
specific forgiveness that I sense the Lord speaking about is something
more than turning the other cheek; more than not holding a grudge. I
believe the Lord is calling us to a forgiveness that would be willing to
extend love again. Unfortunately, depending on the level of hurt you
have experienced, it may feel like a burden you simply can't bear.
The
heart is a funny little organ. Responsible for sustaining life, it also
has been likened as the source of our emotions. We learn by every
experience we go through. Pain teaches us some very powerful lessons in
life. We burn our hand, and the pain teaches us how to handle the stove.
We fall off our bicycle, and the pain teaches us how to balance on two
skinny wheels.
Now,
just because we have experienced pain does not mean that we will never
use a stove or ride a bike again; O, but the heart...when it gets hurt,
it doesn't want to love again. Sometimes it's just easier to build walls
and hide behind them than to feel the pain of a broken heart. The
problem with that solution is that love isn't getting in nor is it
getting out.
It's time to break out of the prison of offense and let love win.
The
litmus test to all this is love. Are we willing to extend our heart
again? You see, it is possible to share your time with someone but still
withhold your heart from the relationship. We can hide our heart and
protect it from pain while walking around with tender mercy, kindness,
and humility. However, to live this life that Christ has called us to we
must extend love again.
Above
all else we are called to love. "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy
and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so
you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the
bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:12-14).
Forgiveness
that does not extend the heart again isn't really forgiveness at all
because love and restoration is at the core of forgiveness. Let me
explain what I call "the grace factor of forgiveness." The Greek word
used here in the Book of Colossians for forgiving is "charizomai"
(Strong's #5483).
Charizomai
is a grace word, it comes from the same root as grace, "charis"
(Strong's #5485), and means: to do a favor, to show kindness
unconditionally, to give freely, to grant forgiveness, and to forgive
freely. In other words, forgiveness is an intentional act of releasing
one another from the debt that the offense caused. It is refusing to
require the penalty due; literally, to let it go. The grace factor of
forgiveness is giving the offender what they don't
deserve...forgiveness.
Beloved,
forgiveness is a choice. In that moment the pain may or may not go
away. We don't have the power to heal our heart, but we serve the One
who does. He has called us to forgive others as He has forgiven us,
therefore in His love and mercy He will supply what we need in order to
respond to His request.
Our
power is only the power of choice. It may take years to experience the
emotional freedom and healing of forgiveness, but it starts with us
making a choice...choosing to let love win. Amen and amen.
Tiffany Ann Lewis
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries
Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com
Dancing With the Flame of the LORD Ministries
Email: tiffanyann@tiffanyannlewis.com
Website: tiffanyannlewis.com
Tiffany
Ann Lewis is a prophetic worship leader and Bible teacher with a unique
focus on Biblical Hebrew, and whose heart has been passionately
awakened by a God who sees us in our shortcomings, loves us in spite of
it all, and calls out to us so we can live (Ezekiel 16). Her vision is
to create an atmosphere in worship where we can meet with God face to
face, where the Spirit of God moves freely, releasing emotional,
spiritual and physical healing, and igniting a passion for our Heavenly
Bridegroom, Jesus. Tiffany Ann has been ministering for over 15 years in
the Body of Christ through worship and the Word. Her newest opportunity
will be to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Biblical Hebrew at the
Quest Bible Institute in Georgia where she is also a fully matriculated
student enrolled in a graduate level Biblical/theological studies
program at Quest Bible Institute and Seminary. Upon completion of her
studies she will be awarded a Master's degree in Biblical Studies.
Tiffany
and her husband Rodney have been married for more than twenty years and
have one darling daughter, Ashley, a glorious granddaughter, Gloriana,
and two precious pups that are also a part of their family.
Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep Elijah List website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.
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With Much Love and Abundance,
Renee J Mack
http://www.about.me/reneejmack49
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