Grow! Higher Up, Deeper In
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One of the struggles with forgiveness is that we are charged to forgive even if forgiveness is not asked of us. “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” (Colossians
Furthermore, we are not to keep a record of the wrong she has done to us. Can that be true? Recall our Scripture from the last chapter? “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”(1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV) We are not to keep a ledger of the wrongs done to love.
If our mode of operation is to display love, then we are not to have a tracking sheet of others’ dirty deeds which we feel are unfair. We are instructed to forgive and move forward. We are not called to stand up and cry out about the injustice perpetrated against us. Our example is to be like Jesus. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6-7 NKJV)
We typically want to shout from the mountaintops how we have been wronged. However, Christ was greatly wronged and misunderstood yet “He opened not His mouth’”. Surely, if Jesus can forgive, then it is expected of us to forgive as well. “When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots” (Luke
But how many times can we continue to forgive when Sister Susie does not change her ways, nor offer an apology? Our answer: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”(Matthew 18:21-22 NIV). From this time forward we are accountable if we do not continue to forgive.
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About the Book
If you are one of the millions of people who desire to grow in your relationship with Jesus and overcome common obstacles in your faith walk, then this book will guide you along your journey. With practical exercises and a sensible approach, author Tere West-Arroyo shares real world examples that unlock the keys to remove worry, practice forgiveness, kill pride, and among other things, increase love for others.
By providing a sound biblical approach and relevant scripture, Grow! Higher Up, Deeper In assists you in mapping out your personalized plan for moving forward and gaining greater fulfillment in your Christian relationship. Commit yourself to the journey and know you are not alone in your desire to conquer those common human characteristics that tend to hold many people back. The author comes along side and assures you are not alone in your quest.
About the Author
Tere West-Arroyo is a Certified Christian Life Coach in private practice. With a focus on Spiritual, Career and Women’s Coaching, she has a gift for guiding a person to lead a balanced, fulfilled, and passionate life. Tere has over twenty years experience in executive and management positions in large companies where she has led many high performance organizations to business and corporate success. However, she counts among her greatest professional achievements coaching and developing employees to achieve their personal objectives for growth.
As a leader of Disciple Training & Development for her church, Tere enjoys seeing people utilize their gifts and experience spiritual growth. She has written articles and Christian education sessions which challenge and encourage others to experience a greater connection with their faith and move forward in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Writing about what she lives, Tere desires to share practical guidance on relevant topics, all of which she strives to apply to her own personal relationship with Jesus.