The writers have converged over at Kate’s and created masterful essays on this week’s one-word prompt, which happens to be RELIEF. When I saw the word the very first thing that popped in this 60-something brain was…
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!
Many of you are too young to remember this jingle that was used in the Alka-Seltzer commercials years ago!!! I shouldn’t give away my age like that, but we’re friends, right? Now, for some serious writing…10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
GO!
Relief. Years ago I was strongly convicted to right some wrongs. I had done some really stupid, unholy things and the Lord told me it was time to make them right. It was before emails and Facebook – I took out paper and pen and began to write. I had four to send: my father, my ex, a former boyfriend, and a customer in our (at the time) fly-fishing shop. I let the words spill on the smooth surface of the linen stock – each one a confession. Each one a plea to accept my apology. I was a beggar looking for relief of past wrongs. The notes were impeccable, my heart laid out on each card. I carefully folded, sealed, stamped and prayed. Put the red flag up for the postman to pick up and send them off – my white flag times four.
I never heard back from one of them. I waited, expecting a response from at least one – but nothing ever came – except one thing…
RELIEF
My heavenly Father whispered into my heart, “Well done.”
HE gave me relief.
That’s what happens when we are obedient to His conviction.
HE IS THE RELIEF-GIVER!
Friend, if you need relief from something or someone, ask the Lord to show you what HE wants you to do, and, for heaven’s sake – GET SOME RELIEF!
xo
Very good! I love the way you have with words…. beautifully spoken!
Great imagery here… “Put the red flag up for the postman to pick up and send them off – my white flag times four.”
And what a great Truth weaved through it all! That’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing this story and your words with us!
Rachel, you are kind! Love that you visit me!
It is so hard to ask others for forgiveness when we know we were the ones who wronged them. I have felt the need to ask for forgiveness too. Sometimes I get the forgiveness from that person. And other times I haven’t. But God indeed gives us relief. He whispers into our ears “Well done good and faithful servant” when we try and reach out offering that hand of forgiveness. Jesus is indeed our relief-giver. I think sometimes it is so easy for us to forget that!!
Tara, I LOVED the video you did…you are so articulate and well-spoken (is that a redundancy???!!!). You are such a dear friend!
It’s so hard to admit that we’ve made mistakes–and even harder to ask for forgiveness. Thank you for sharing your example. Sometimes, it’s just good to hear that other people are courageous enough to ask for forgiveness!
Anita, that monster PRIDE gets in the way and pushes, fights, nags, and is just plain obnoxious. Thanks for visiting.
Susan,
how beautiful this was! You have let go and given it to God. 🙂
Sometimes our letters are meant for processing, sometimes they’re meant for delivery, but always the relief comes when the yuck comes out. (bad visual but the way you feel after your stomach sickness finally exits your stomach)
And, I love that you show God as your relief. Truly, people can withhold forgiveness but God never will, and your desire for reconciliation will be fulfilled through Him always!
Thanks for the visit!
(hugs)
Love,
Tammy (tammysincerity)
Tammy – I like your “bad” visual!!! Thanks for coming over!
Okay, I am a few years your junior, but I totally remember that jingle 🙂
This is a beautiful reminder that we cannot make others give us relief, but that there is always a certain kind of peace (or relief) in doing what God wants of us. It is hard sometimes though, isn’t it? I know I’ve certainly had times when I needed to apologise that were very difficult to make myself do — especially when I have felt as though I wasn’t the only one in the wrong. I had that happen recently actually with a lady I sing with in our parish choir. She said some very hurtful things to my husband regarding our childrens’ behaviour during Mass and I kinda went all momma bear on her and said a few things of my own that weren’t very kind. I knew after I said them that I had been hurtful too and that I could have handled the situation better and that I needed to apologise to her. I did apologise but she didn’t. In fact, she tried to make me feel even worse after the fact and adamantly stated that she thought she handled it quite well. I have to say that her response kinda irked me and made me want to lash out again, but I think the fact that I had just apologised made me temper my reaction. In that moment, I sorta wished I hadn’t apologised but now that it’s a good couple of months later, I’m glad I did what God wanted rather than letting my pride keep me from being obedient. Thank you for your insightful post on this!
😉 Oh Therese, I so hear ya’ sister. YOU did the right thing. “It’s never wrong to do right!” The other woman may be getting some Holy Ghost conviction in the future and approaching you with her apology!!! xo
Thanks for sharing this. I agree with Anita, it is good to hear about your courage to write those letters. I had to apologize to three different people recently. Uuugh. It was hard, and like Theresa, it wasn’t all my fault. But we can never go wrong when we do the right thing, the thing God wants us to do. And what sweet relief!
Such relief, Robyn, no matter the fault!!!
I love these words Susan! How often do we brush past wrongs under the carpet with the hopes that they will just disappear. I love how you wrote personal letters to each one and your word picture of putting up the red flag for the postman which was your white flag to God! and them!
Glad to be your FMF friend and I have to admit that I know about plop, plop, fizz, fizz oh what a relief it is very well! 🙂
Oh yes, He is the relief giver! Some years ago, He impressed upon me that broken relationships in the church were a foothold for the enemy. I had three that needed to be repaired and I was to go to them in person to make things right. Whew! That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The first two went well and relationships were restored. The third one blew my socks off with the revelation of why our relationship had soured. And it isn’t repaired to this day. I’m still heartbroken over that one, but the relief I have is knowing that I did what God expected of me. We can’t control others’ responses and sometimes they aren’t what we want them to be. But God is pleased with our obedience nonetheless. Enjoyed your post today, Susan!
Holly, I have one of those “soured” relationships too – I tried to reconcile but no go. Thanks for visiting today!
Amen. Amen…. I think I want relief from worrying and relief from trying to do things my way instead of God’s way…. Thank you for your words. God is good!
We sure do fight Him at times, don’t we Shana?