Posts in category Forgiveness

Sunday Mind Dump (3.20.11)

Mar20
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Chris Thompson

Today rocked!!! I was so excited to see so many people at church today. The more people you and I get to church, the better I will preach. Just saying.

I took an opportunity, before I launched into the sermon, to coach our church a bit. I painted a picture of our mission and our strategy for reaching the people of Huntersville. I invited everyone to get in the game. Everyone can contribute something (referring to Brandon Knight)

I tried adding a visual today (four brown boxes made to create a Cross) to help us grasp some more critical aspects of FORGIVENESS. I think it proved effective. At the end of the sermon, people lined up to stick their “Name” and “pain” on to the make-shift cross.

I really hope today was a break-through for lots of people who want to experience a Prison Break from bitterness, anger and the need to get revenge.

Many of you have been asking about when we will update the iTunes podcast with the first three sermons in this Prison Break series. I hope we get it up by tomorrow.

I love Spring. This weekend’s weather was superb. After church I took my kids (and some neighborhood kids…felt like a bus driver) to the Alexander Middle School track. We ran and had races. Lots of fun for all of us.

Jenny spent Sunday afternoon at a wedding shower for a couple that I am officiating their wedding at the end of May.

After my ‘track time’ with the kiddos, Today, I took them to watch and cheer on the Radiant Life Basketball game (which we do most Sundays). Today’s game (@ the Lake Norman YMCA) was a blow out. I still enjoy watching the team play. It looks like they are having fun.

I felt a lot of great energy at church today. We had tons of guests show up today and I think they felt welcomed and at home among friends.

Radiant Lifers continue to be the friendliest and most engaging people I know. You all make our guests feel so welcomed and at ease. That’s so important because people come to church with all sorts of assumptions and baggage. You’re confident-friendliness and sensitive-compassion helps to break down barriers and soften hearts.

The worship team was phenomenal. They continue to keep things fresh and creative. I love the new songs they recently introduced. Including THIS song…

and this

and this too

Posted in Church, Radiant Life Fellowship, Sunday Mind Dump

Someone Hurt Me

Mar15
2011 1 How Written by Chris Thompson

I ran into a person from my past, the other day, at the grocery store. I don’t think this person likes me very much. He’s a strong believer in Jesus and so am I. Our personalities are very different and over the years we’ve probably hurt each other. I know I have been hurt by him and, if I’m honest, I’ve probably hurt him too. And the difficult part is that there has not been closure. So when I ran into him I had some of those un-easy, Awkward, feelings rise up inside me. I found myself struggling. Do I avoid and pretend I didn’t see him? What words should I say if we get to talk? What questions do I ask? How do I control the conversation so I can avoid the messiness?

I know I have forgiven him. But I realized that forgiveness is not a one time event. It is a process because our wounds are real and vulnerable to being hurt again. Our memory doesn’t work like a story that’s stored in our brains from beginning to end. The good and the hurts. Our memory is more like a lot of random snap-shots we can recall at any moment. Sometimes the snap shots, in the memories we recall, are painful and they no longer include any of the good memories related to the painful ones with that person. So the person starts to represent the pain.

Can you relate?

I found myself needing to forgive again (in my heart and mind) as I interacted with this person. I prayed a simple prayer “God remind me of the gift of grace you have freely given me so I can offer grace to him. Help me to see him through your eyes.”

I don’t always get it right. But I am reminded to:

“…Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” {Ephesians 4:2-6}

I’m leading our church in a series on FORGIVENESS called Prison Break. Just because I am the pastor…preaching the series…doesn’t mean I don’t also have to learn/practice the art of forgiveness myself. On a regular basis.

Does any part of my story resonate with you? Do you find it difficult to forgive someone who hurt you? Are you still holding on to the pain? Why? What helpful steps have you taken to break free from the pain or move on?

This isn’t the only person who has hurt me. This isn’t the only person whom I have hurt either. Forgiveness is a gift God has offered His followers to put into practice on a regular basis. If done right, forgiveness frees us from the prison of anger, hatred, bitterness and the need to hurt back AND it frees the other person from our unrighteous wrath.

There is FREEDOM in FORGIVENESS. Matthew 18:21-35

Posted in Gospel, Virtues