Week 4 in Review

MADE IT THROUGH DAY ONE. It will be an interesting year for sure.

The theme this past week was: As You Judge, You Will Be Judged.

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When have you been offered forgiveness, and what did it mean to you?
Hmmm. . . if I end up thinking of something specific here, I'll come back.

What are some misconceptions about forgiveness?
I think the biggest one is that forgiveness means trusting. Just because you forgive someone doesn't mean that they have earned your trust back.

How does God's forgiveness for you strengthen you in your daily life?
I can think of two major ways. First, it reminds me of how big God really is. I mean, if He was able to forgive me for all the offenses I've committed (and will commit) before I even knew Him, then just. . . I don't even know. It's crazy to think about. Second, it helps me to look at other's and realize that they are just as imperfect as I, but more importantly they are just as FORGIVEN as I. How can I condemn them for what they are doing when God has chosen not to?

Is there someone you need to forgive or someone you need to ask for forgiveness?
Probably both.

How willing are you to forgive? Why is it hard to forgive?
I would like to think that I am pretty open to forgiving, but the truth of the matter is that I haven't had many relationship problems in which I have had someone come to me to ask for forgiveness. I would say that generally I'm pretty difficult to offend, but those rules go out the window when it's someone that I think highly of. So. . . I don't know. I know that I have an incredible memory, so sometimes it's hard for me to let go of stuff (usually that's stupid stuff that I do rather than other people, but I know that it can work both ways).

How can the group pray for you in the areas of hypocrisy, integrity, and mercy?
I think I need work on all areas, but especially the step between integrity and mercy. I have to learn not to be afraid to point something out to someone that I notice is a problem that I've dealt with. Again, I need to take the process from start to end, not just the start (finding the planks) and not just the end (removing others' specks).