To Love the Unlovable


     Have you ever offered a word of encouragement to someone, and received a response, not just once, but multiple times that tell you that you are wasting their time and that they are too busy for you?  The reason I am writing this piece is because I think that it provides an opportunity for growth as I’ve felt the need to take care of some ill feelings that have been burrowing a hole in my heart.  I do not want to hold on to these feelings as they are destructive.   
     So maybe this isn’t your exact experience, but all of us have more than likely experienced the unpleasant thoughts that tell us we aren’t handling something correctly and until we release our thoughts to Jesus, we are apt to be damaged by the backlash of whatever has the potential to create bitterness.
      We’ve all heard someone talk about being mistreated by others whether our perception or real, long after an action has taken place.  If thoughts plague us about an past incident, or repeated past incidence, that is a good sign we are holding on to something unhealthy and we need to let it go.  But how is it possible to release something that feels so hurtful?
      I took my situation to God in this way, I explained how I was feeling.  I told Him what thoughts I was thinking, and I confessed how I thought that these thoughts were damaging my testimony.  God's Word tells us not to judge and that vengeance belongs to God.  I know that God has shown great mercy to me where I do not deserve His kindness.  I prayed for healing, and I prayed for forgetfulness.  I prayed that I would learn how to handle situations like these in the future, when or if they creep back into my life.  I acknowledged that the conflicting thoughts were bound to be a reoccurring incident unless I allowed God to teach me from this experience.   
    For just a moment I needed to slow down my anxious thoughts to request a solution.  As long as I was wallowing in the mire and wasn't not looking for resolution, nothing would be forthcoming.  I did not want 'the deceiver' to have even the slightest crack into my heart to make God's purpose for me ineffective.  
     Just moments after I prayed, a lyrics 'teach me how to love the unlovable' cascaded through my mind.  I wasn't sure what the rest of the words were, but after searching the internet I realized that these words belonged to the amazing songwriter Matthew West in his song "Forgiveness."  There is no denying where responsibility lies in this situation.  It was exactly what I needed to hear.  So how does the Holy Spirit speak to you?  

 I have included the lyrics to this song below, just in case you might need them too.  

It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those who don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
Takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always angers own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what its power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness



Here is a link to watch his official video:  https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WLPKY7NX

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