There once was a lady who was afraid to read messages her hubby sent her. She was weary of reading criticisms and ‘reprimands’, she would erase these messages without reading them so the argument would end. She would not be ‘hurt’ or ‘angry’ or ‘frustrated.’ She would also not be ‘forced’ or ‘tempted’ to ‘reply’, ‘explain’, ‘criticize’ back.
Gradually, by the power and prompting of the Holy Spirit, she learned to be brave to ‘open’ these messages, ‘read’ these message, ‘accept’ these messages and even ‘digest’ them.
Sometimes it was really hard to just stay silent. She had to write slowly to express her feelings, to open the way of communication – to find ways to say how she felt, what she thought, without pointing the finger back at hubby. She once heard a wise counsel of a friend – to write with the ‘I’ than with the ‘you.’ It’s better to say ‘I’ felt sad that I did this or said that etc…. than ‘You’ made me feel sad. She realised that it is often better to write than to speak. In writing, she could think more slowly, express more clearly, and erase and re-write when words do not sound right. In writing, she could control the ‘volume’ of the words – without the ‘loudness’ and ‘intensity’ of the voice/sound from spoken words.
Then eventually, she is learning to stay quiet and let go. Like Jesus, there is no need to explain. There can be peace and calmness to just receive whatever was heard. It is possible to be silent. Perhaps like Jesus, she knew God knows what she’s feeling. God would explain for her. Perhaps like Jesus, she knew she’s done nothing wrong. She would pray instead… pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort her.. to transform her… to make her more like Jesus.
Finally, she learned to bravely read the messages, to calmly let go of the messages and erase them. Why? Because love does not keep a record of wrong. How? Because Jesus did not keep her record of wrong either.
And so this is the story of the before, the after and everything in between.. her journey of learning from, writing in and letting go of pain.
The above story was written some 7 years ago today. Life changes people. Living life in the Spirit is transformative. Today, I’m still a work-in-progress – working towards sanctification – to be more and more like Jesus by the grace and mercy of God. God is patient with me – He pursues with His everlasting kindness calling me to be holy as He is holy. I learned that as I let go of things of this world, the Spirit enables me to persevere and overcome through the challenges of living in this imperfect world. Everyday is a new day to let go or embrace pain as the Spirit leads. So help me, Lord.