ometimes I just wish
that some of the things that Jesus instructed us to do just weren’t there! I mean, he
was perfect right? It is so easy to see Jesus as a super human being. It is so easy to
think that the daily pains we go through he just didn’t have to hassle with. Boy, I
could never have been more wrong. Jesus led by example. When he was teased, scorned and
humiliated, he showed us a living example of what it meant to love thy neighbor.
Jesus has never asked of any of us, something he
couldn’t accomplish himself. Like a true father, he gave each and every one of us an
example to follow. I thought I had it really tough. I wailed and bemoaned my terrible fate
and sobbed before the Lord telling him how mean all these people were being to me. I told
him how they hurt me, how they broke my heart, how they insulted and humiliated me. Being
the patient father he is, he listened patiently. I could almost visualize him nodding his
head in sympathy as I poured out all my grievances and bitterness’.
When I finally gave him the chance to speak. He uttered
into my spirit a single word: "Love." When I looked into his face, his sweet
love just poured out. He whispered to me, that if I could only for a moment, see these
enemies of mine through his eyes, I would be set free.
I tried to argue: "But Father they are the ones that
are wrong here. They don’t even know you, surely I am the one justified!" No
matter how I fought it, I came to a place one night where I had just reached my limit.
Everything was just going wrong. Everyone had taken a turn to tell me what a failure I
was, the washing got drenched with rain, my one daughter decided to bring the garden into
the living room, and the other one thought it right and proper to unpack a good portion of
all the kitchen cabinets, whilst eating the kitty cubes!! You know – one of THOSE
days!!
I fell into a pitiful heap on my bed and cried with all my
frustration to the Lord. Like always I felt his peace on my heart, and I could feel his
presence. And as I always remember him, he came with a gentle strength. He quickened to my
heart once again that forever annoying Scripture: "Love they neighbor….."
It was a tough place to come to, let me tell you. We are
talking the – oh, too common conflict with in-laws here!! Tough stuff!! Forgiveness
was first and by far the most difficult.
"Father," I choked.
"I forgive my Mother-in-law, I
forgive my Father-in-law, I forgive all the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins..."
(The list was quite lengthy )
As I battled these words out of my mouth, I slowly felt
the knot ease in my stomach. I moved to
"Father, I choose to love these
people, but Father I know that I just cannot force myself, so please could you somehow
love them through me?"
It was a good start, it helped me get onto the right
track. But it didn’t stop here, in fact things got worse!! (Encouraging isn’t
it? J ) Every time I felt that anger rise up in me, and I got this uncontrollable urge to
not so sanctimoniously tell them what they could do with themselves. I caught myself in
mid-stress, and ran to the Father. Once again: "Father, I forgive these people, love
them through me"
I then added each of them to my daily prayers, I spoke
blessing on them, and told each of them in the spirit I loved them. I would say:
"Mom, in the name of Jesus I speak
blessing on you. Mom, I love you, I love you in the name of Jesus"
Some days were easier than others, but before I knew it, I
didn’t have to pray to love them anymore. I just woke one morning, and it struck me:
"I really, really love these people!" Instead of cursing them, I claimed them
for the kingdom of heaven, holding fast in my mind and heart a picture of them praising
the Lord alongside my husband and I.
Needless to say the Lord worked a miracle in all our
lives. Not only did he change my heart, but also he started working in their lives as
well, bringing an incredible change in their attitudes. I have left them behind now to
follow the call of the Lord on my life. At our last church service together I sobbed at
the feet of the Lord for bringing to pass what seemed like the impossible. I have in my
precious mother in-law, a strong ally now, and one of the best friends I ever had. When
the time came to leave, the Lord had forged such a deep love between us all that I felt
like a part of my heart was being left behind.
You see the Lord just needed someone who was willing to
help bring change into our circumstances. Without our words and prayers there is no way
that he could bring a work into their lives. It is so easy to accuse, but to choose to
"Bless and do not curse" can not only bring a dramatic change in your life, but
can also pour from you and touch the lives of those around you. My Parent in-laws are a
living example of the grace of God and our relationship is living proof that we do indeed
serve a God of love.
