EVERY FIVE MINUTES

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”

Proverbs 23:7 KJV

Many years ago, I was one of several people who owned a cleaning service.  We cleaned offices after they were closed.  I cleaned the bathrooms.  I also worked at an airport cleaning bathrooms and every five minutes they were dirty again and had to be cleaned again.

Our heart sometimes gets dirty again because we allow unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, bitterness, resentment and hatred to remain in our heart.  It is okay to get angry as long as we forgive those who hurt us.  I used to ask God to forgive me for things I had done without forgiving the ones who hurt me.

One day, God took me out to His woodshed and asked me why He should forgive me for things when I was unwilling to forgive those who had hurt me.  It broke my heart and I told Him I was sorry and asked Him to help me love others unconditionally as Jesus has commanded us to love one another.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).

It is okay to get angry and we will because we are human but it becomes sin if we don’t forgive people.  Can you honestly say you always love people unconditionally?

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times when I don’t love unconditionally.  I want others to see and hear the love that Jesus has for them by the way I treat them and the words I say to them.  I pray for all who are discouraged and hurting.  Please comfort and encourage them.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. 

Joanne Lowe

January 26, 2019