| A message from Greg Haukaas:
My wife, Rhonda, and I owned and operated a fairly successful manufacturing company on our farm 45 miles from Moose Jaw for 36 years. We have since retired and moved to the outskirts of the city.
My wife (who is awesome, by the way) was born and raised in the city but has lived most of her life on a farm 45 miles away from a quart of milk if you needed one. Rhonda, out of necessity, has always been known for having a very well-stocked food pantry, fridges, and freezers.
The saying that “old habits die hard” is true. Now that we live only 10 minutes from a store, she continues to maintain what I would consider a large inventory of everything.
Recently, I felt that my experience with systems and inventory management, along with a new app I found online, would go a long way toward knowing what we have and how long we have had it. The only problem is the time it takes to go through and record the inventory and then the discipline required to maintain it by removing the items when they have been used. It requires effort and discipline to work properly.
Our hearts are very much like a food pantry. It is where we store our feelings, our memories, good and bad. We store our offences in our heart, which, after their “best before date,” become bitterness. Like rotting food in your fridge that needs to be dealt with by throwing it out, offences that result in bitterness need to be dealt with through repentance and forgiveness.
I consider myself easygoing and not easily offended, but it has happened. A few years ago, I had someone I respect rebuke me by saying that my financial priorities were not right. At least, I thought I heard him inferring that. The suggestion really bothered me, so much so that it affected my countenance. I thought about what was said way too much. Every time my mind went into neutral, the relentless, tormenting thoughts returned. I even had a close friend, who I consider to be spiritually in tune, come to me and ask me what was wrong. I didn’t say anything.
It wasn’t until a week or more had gone by, with the spiritual torment continuing, that I confided in a Christian brother who I consider to be a mentor. I remember it like it was yesterday. When I told him of the offence and the torment that it had caused me, he laughed and said, “Repent.” I was puzzled by why he would laugh and by what he said. It really didn’t make sense to me, but I was wanting relief from the way I felt. So, I prayed with him, and I asked God to forgive me for being offended and for harboring bitterness in my heart. What happened then to me was amazing, a miracle for me. The oppression that had affected my countenance for way too long left me. I could feel it leave… It was awesome to be free of it.
Just like rotting food in the fridge needs to be dealt with, so do the offences that attach themselves to our soul.
I want to encourage you to constantly monitor the inventory that enters your heart and mind and affects your soul. It requires effort and discipline for your heart to stay right with others and God.
God’s word says that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Monitor what is bothering you and the words that you speak. Repent and forgive as required!
God bless you, Greg Haukaas |
