Forgiven

Forgiveness is a big deal. When someone has wounded us, forgiveness can be hard. But it is necessary in order to move on and to free them to move on. When we have wounded someone, forgiveness from them is so important in the healing process. Yes, perpetrators need to heal also! Years pass and people change but to be forever tied down to a sin long past is so hard. Has someone hurt you? MOVE ON and free them to do the same! Grudges help NO ONE.

And then there is God's forgiveness. How beautiful is it to know that because Jesus already paid the cost for my errors and sins, I no longer have to be bound and imprisoned by them. ANd embracing that also makes it possible for us to free and forgive those who have hurt us.

I am working on losing weight.  I have had a string of good days and my weight is coming down.  But last night...was a different story.  I wrote the following blog post on a site called "SparkPeople.com" where I go for support from friends I've made there and also a place to track food, nutrients and calories.   Because the article has more relevance than only weight/diet alone,  I thought I would share it here with you:
 

Last night I binged on two $1 containers of mini Chips Ahoy cookies. This morning the memory of that semi-conscious error came to mind and it brought anger at myself, worry that my efforts to lose weight are in peril., Self disgust.....and so forth.
But someone whose experience I trust said to me "God has forgiven you! Who are you not to forgive yourself??? Are your standards higher than God's?" And she is right. The battle goes on ....looking back at past defeats serves no good unless it is merely to point to
the grace of God.

So I decided not to track my binge. It would only set this entire day up for failure and it would remind me bitterly of that which is past and done with. I made note of my slip up in a daily note on my food tracker but that is all I did.

Have you ever heard the song "Stand up, Stand up for Jesus" there is a line in it. "From victory unto victory His army .shall he lead, til every foe is vanquished...." Don't count the defeats except to make the victories all the sweeter. Move from victory unto victory.

Last night was a battle lost...a skirmish on the way to the place of victory where I have set my sights. The WAR was not lost! And even in the battle, all was not lost. I did dump the last half container into the garbage. I just read a quote i like "better a little waste than a big waist!"

Are you struggling to forgive someone? yourself? Prolonged anger only will hurt you. Bitterness is not attractive. And if it is yourself you can't forgive...if you have yourself roped and tied by regret and failure...you cannot march on to a place of victory. Not while you're hog-tied!! So move on soldier. Carry on!