Three Steps

John 7:38

Living Water

When we refuse to forgive, bitterness poisons our soul. Worse yet, after a while, we accept it as part of our personality. We say, “Well, I’m just an angry person. I’m always sarcastic and edgy. This is who I am.” No, that’s not who you are. You were made to be a crystal clear stream. God created you in His image to enjoy life to the full, not to live with bitterness and resentment, polluted and putrefied yourself and contaminating everyone else with whom you have influence.



I doesn’t matter how polluted the stream in your life may be right now. If you’ll begin to forgive the people who have offended you, and release all those hurts and pains, that bitterness will leave and you’ll begin to experience the joy, peace, and freedom God intended you to have.



7/17

Hebrews 10:22

Quick to Forgive

It is usually the little stuff that gets us in trouble. Maybe your spouse is not spending as much time with you as you’d like, and you can feel yourself starting to get resentful with your mate, sarcastic, cryptic, or unfriendly. Instead of forgiving quickly, letting go of the hurts and pains, we quietly bury them deep down inside our hearts and minds. We don’t want to talk about the issue. We don’t want to think about it. We want to ignore it and hope that it will go away. But it won’t.


Don’t let your heart get polluted. Be quick to forgive, and the joy of the Lord will burst forth within you like a fresh mountain spring.



7/18

Psalm 90:12

Number Your Days

Our time here on this earth is so short. What a shame it would be to allow something that happened in the past to ruin one more day. If you get stuck in a traffic jam, which you can’t undo, know that God is still in control. If somebody offends you, your attitude should be, I’m traveling light; I’m not going to carry any extra burdens.


I’ve made up my mind to do my best to enjoy every single day. I may make mistakes; things may not always go my way. I may be disappointed at times, but I’ve made a decision that I’m not going to allow what does or doesn’t happen to me to steal my joy and keep me from God’s abundant life.