How about a cup of Sulawesi Pt Toarco coffee from Beansmith Coffee in Omaha, NE? Transparent and citric with caramel, green grape and floral flavors, this coffee comes from small producers at the higher altitude areas of Indonesia. Enjoy!
We continued our "Uncensored Dating" series this week by talking about the process of breaking up without falling apart. As we've discussed before, 99.9% of all dating relationships don't last, but what's at stake here is much bigger than that. All of us have been hurt by someone in the past; friends, family, a dating relationship. The people you love the most have the capability of hurting you the deepest. But how do you respond when you're hurt? Like a wounded animal, we're often driven by a "fight or flight" instinct. But if there's no where to flee - this is your home, your school, your job, your family, your church - we tend to fight. But God has told us not to fight, but to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). The answer is forgiveness.
Forgiveness is not letting the offender off the hook. Forgiveness is not letting the offense recur again and again. Forgiveness does not mean we have to revert to being the victim. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciling. Forgiving does not mean denying reality or ignoring repeated offenses. Forgiveness is not based on others' actions but on our attitude. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting.
Forgiveness is returning to God the right to take care of justice. Forgiveness is a process, not an event. It's a choice, not an emotion.
Left unchecked, the bitterness and resentment will eat you alive inside. When someone hurts us, our natural tendency is to hold on to the pain and to desire to strike back or get even with the offender. Unforgiveness is like drinking a poison yourself and expecting other people to die from it.
Parent-Teen Connect
Take turns answering and discussing the following questions with your teens this week. Create meaningful conversation. Adjust questions as needed. Use one or two of these to begin a conversation. Look for teachable moments - at home, in the car, wherever. Pray and ask God to provide you opportunities to have spiritual conversations with your teens.
- Who do you know that is letting bitterness keep them locked up? Without giving names, tell their story.
- Read Matthew 18:21-22 together. When we are offended, do you think Jesus tells us to forgive 490 times for our sake or theirs?
- Is there anyone you struggle with unforgiveness for and need to choose to forgive them for the first time or the 491st time? Can you tell the story?
