Right The Wrongs
Let’s get back to the Life Practices which I've been sharing for the past few weeks. To right a wrong is not a very popular thing for many of us because our human nature is inherent with pride and ego. We are very prone to creating offenses and injustices. Ignorance, disobedience, pride, immaturity, even spiritual manipulation, etc. can make us the offenders.
Just a few days ago, my mom and I were discussing offenses and people who have done some wrongs even towards us and I shared something which she said was very profound. What I shared was that, a lot of times when people cause others pain and grief in life, and then they come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, they are completely forgiven of all their sins and past crimes. Sometimes it looks as if they got away with hurting people and then ran to Jesus Christ and it’s all ‘kumbaya’ for them, but, until they make peace with the person who was the recipient of their atrocity and pain, it doesn’t matter where you stand with God, that bad experience you gave to someone can place a legal hold on your life. You’re free but not free. You’re free with God but not free with men.
That is how most prisoners feel - they are remorseful, repentant and even reformed from their wrong actions, yet, they will serve out their term unless the victim’s family agrees to an early pardon. They are free and forgiven by God but still in prison. In Genesis 4:10 AMP, the blood of Abel was crying out from the ground, asking for justice and vindication. Our voices are not silenced even in death, how much more when the person is alive and breathing? Every time they call your name for being the cause of their pain and speak negatively, they are reinforcing and reminding every force on earth, clean or unclean, of their legal right to place a hold on you. Words have so much power and we are all victims or victors of the words spoken for or against our lives.
God forgives you 100% but there are consequences to every action. So, while you make your peace with God, never forget to make peace with people as well - especially anyone that you know you have wronged or caused them pain. Don't forget that Satan's other name is "The Accuser" and even he has a legal voice in the judicial system of God. What God has forgiven you, Satan can use that as a hold to still cause you harm. It is the same God that said in the bible that He will remember the sins of the Fathers, even to the 4th generation. What doesn’t get resolved with you can affect your descendants somehow so make peace with people while you still can and while you are still breathing. A time might come and you will not have the chance to. "I am sorry, forgive me" can cease wars and bring peace to your life and others'. It doesn't take away your value, matter of fact, it increases your value as a person. That you're strong but humble enough to recognize when you err.
I pray for you this week that as you approach Valentine’s Day, you will find courage in your heart to reach out to anyone you need to make peace with and humbly ask them to forgive you. You would have done your part and then leave the rest to God.
XOXO,
Lady Abena
Declarations For February 2024
February is a month of love, a month to be reminded of the most dominant character of God which is LOVE. If you know nothing about God, just know that He is LOVE and nothing can separate you and I from His love. Declare with me Romans 8:35-39 AMP:
“Who shall ever separate us from the love of [d]Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “For Your sake we are put to death all day long; We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I decree and declare that the unlimited love of God covers us daily in Jesus’ name. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
Teach People How To Treat You
Consider this my second nugget of “Life Practices” that I am sharing with you. There’s a famous quote by Tony Gaskins which says, “You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.” Truer words have never been spoken don’t you think? People especially from my part of the world are sometimes polite to a fault and if care is not taken, we allow all kinds of nonsense to parade in and around our lives and we call it humility by tolerating others’ bad behavior towards us. I’ve also noticed that most people like to see what they can get away with and if you allow them, it will become the standard by which they treat you. Sometimes they will say, “I was just joking with you” and I’m thinking to myself, you couldn’t find anything nice or fun to joke about but something disrespectful? No, it wasn’t a joke, they try to see how much they can get away with.
I’ve been a victim several times when I was practicing patience and even sometimes just trying to be vulnerable. Not very long ago, God cautioned me with a scripture, Matthew 7:6 NLT, “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. [a] Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” Yup, I sighed just as you did. It’s amazing what you’ll find in the bible - can be quite harsh to hear but it is what we need to hear.
I stopped suffering foolishness and ignorance and yes I set very respectful boundaries with my loved ones and also acquaintances. My dear, if you are sacrificing and investing time and resources into becoming the person God created you to become, one that has been bought at an invaluable price by Jesus, then NO, you shouldn’t allow people to trivialize and disrespect you just because they think they can or that you’re such a nice person or because you’re breaking bread with them in the name of Christianity. Lately, I have no problem putting people in their place and I’ve learned to stand up for myself. I will never throw a stone at someone but if they do, Newton’s 3rd law will be activated at a much higher level, (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction). Being a Christian who is deeply devoted to God doesn’t mean you’re stupid for you to make a doormat of yourself for anyone to walk on. Respect yourself, set very high standards of excellence and treat others the same way you want to be treated. If they don’t value or reciprocate it, then draw a line of demarcation and move on. There are still over 8 billion people on this planet.
I pray for you this week that the Lord will give you the grace and wisdom to handle the different situations and people you’ll encounter daily. AMEN!
Xoxo,
Lady Abena.