Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday February 21, 2007

My article of yesterday produced a few insightful remarks and as yet has produced the same amount of revenue as have all previous articles. I am on a run of 9 years of reaping remarks, but no coin of the realm. I am not complaining just using my last gasp of breath before I eat my last bit of pottage and go to my long home!!! I remarked to one of my friends who wrote yesterday that I am a very poor writer to which he responded with words of comfort to the effect that he knows this to be true as he reads my articles every day. So much for sympathy.

One friend of many years, Dr. George Monday sent the following to me and it touched on the inner agony of Jacob and of all who engage in activities that take advantage of friends or brothers. George commented:

"I can't remember if I have shared this insight with you before or not. Jesus told a story about forgiveness after he had taught the disciples about prayer and forgiveness, Matthew 18. After the fellow who had received such forgiveness refused to return the same kindness to his fellow, he was reported to the lord who had freely forgiven him. His lord ordered that he be turned over to the tormentors. I saw something that gave me understanding in this in I John 4. John says that he that yet feareth is not made perfect in love for perfect love casteth out fear, for fear hath torment. Now there is our word, torment. The tormentors are all the negative emotions caused by disobedience; fear, anxiety, guilt, worry, and etc. Those who refuse to exercise free and unlimited forgiveness are placing themselves in an emotional prison that is going to be no fun and cause a lot of restless nights of tossing and turning.”

George has been through it and has suffered brutalization at the hands of 'friends' therefore I have a special place in my heart for this Brother who took a stand as my friend in the Dark Night of my life. He is on the money with the insight he shared in the above paragraph.

Just last week I talked with a man who said that he has trouble each time a man comes to mind. Each time this man enters his life through seeing him, or seeing something or someone who reminds my friend of this man, he relives a hurtful experience and will lay awake for nights fuming over what should have been done to the man, even to the point of enjoying wringing the man's neck personally!! I know this brother well enough to believe that if were to actually wring the man's neck; he would do unto the Lord! The man whom the mere mention of his name evokes such wrath has moved on with his life and goes about as though he has good sense. Perhaps he does? He has peace; my friend has bitterness, though in the instant offense he was in the right.

Which man is better off? The man who has peace does not in any way trick the other man out of his peace. The bitter man has made the choice for bitterness, torment over the peace which passeth all understanding. Not a good choice.

Do you enjoy the peace of God, or do you live in torment? The choice really is yours.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit

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