What if the Lord were really my Shepherd?

Here's a great exercise for the week. Why not join me and let me know if this is useful to you.

Quiet yourself and try to truly believe the ideas in Psalm 23:1-3. Picture this sheep who is surrounded by green pastures yet isn't on his feet munching away. This sheep is so full and satisfied that he contentedly lies down without even needing a bite. Move through the verses in a way such as this (fill in the blanks from the details of your life).

Lord, you really are my Shepherd today. Because of that, I really do have everything I need, even when it comes to _____________________. Lord, you will provide me with green pastures, even though I may not recognize them at first. I may think that what I need is missing, but it will be there. I'll figure that out faster if I rest (lie down) in God. The still waters are there for me to drink from any minute I need them. In certain events today, such as ____________________, I may need them frequently.
God, you are restoring my broken soul today. It is healthier than ever. When I become confused today, YOU will guide me in the right path. Again, I may not recognize it until later, but I can trust God's name, God's presence, and God's power in my life today.

Convergence: Death, Grieving,... and more

I have been amazed at the congruity and congruence of my Emotional Intelligence Training, my personal reflection and spiritual exercices, and my times in therapy with a psychologist.
I just finished reading "Tuesdays with Morrie". It's all about death being an integral part of life. Last week the theme seemed to revolve around Death and Grieving. I've even reviewed Kubla-Ross's Five Stages of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Despair, Acceptance. The psychologist suggested it might be helpful to lists those things that were but are "no longer"... and those things which might have been but "will no longer".
As I have been thinking about this exercice, another thought has become invasive. The New Testament is founded on Death, and Resurrection. Jesus taught that a kernel of wheat needs to die before a new plant is born. Paul said: "Old things have "passed away"; all things have become new.!"... New life comes only from death. This is the New Testament paradox.
This being the case, I need to respect the grieving process, but add a column to my reflections. What is the new "life" that God plans to bring out of this death. What "Winds of Hope" will God cause to blow through my spirit and I process my grief, and wait for "new hope"?

Personal Application or (Mis)application??

In dealing with some of the good and bad days of this period of transition, I have really needed God to speak. Fortunately, He has been doing so: through several close friends, readers of this blog, a psychologist, my mentor, my spiritual father, my little church (St-Arbucks), and my family.
As I asked God to speak through Psalm 78, I was particularly impacted by verses 70 to 72. Here is my personalized reading or misreading of these verses. Please wade in with your comments.

• He chose his servant David - God's choice and call must stand out through all that transpires.
• and took him for the sheep pens; from tending the sheep - he took me from The Salvation Army where I was caring for the leaders around me - coaching, listening, weeping with, and rejoicing with.
• He brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance - where once a particular flock was my place of learning, God has now called me to a higher calling - the care of his inheritance, his whole people. Not one local church, not one denomination, but the whole Church. There is a move from caring for to leading. I have lead from position for 30 years, now I must lead from influence. This could be a challenging shift.
• And David shepherded them with integrity of heart - This blog exists because of the importance of heart renovation. My participation in "Emotional Intelligence" training, my personal walk with the Lord, my times with a psychologist... all are directing me to appropriate care for and guarding of my own heart. If I am to lead it must be with heart integrity.
• With skillful hands he led them - The order is important here. First the heart, then the skills. What are the skills I have mastered or am working towards mastery of? What are the particular gifts and graces that God has deposited in my life? Coaching, teaching, preaching, prophecy, compassion, leadership, language skills (French and English), computer skills, a learner. I'm pretty damned talented.

Restoration

One of declarations made at the Fresh Fire Conference this weekend was that 2008 would be a year of Restoration. On Sunday, at Destiny Church, there was an intivation for prayer for those who wanted to claim and be released into this restoration.

As I ministered in prayer, I experience an unusually strong annointing and liberty. Something has changed. The atmosphere? Destiny Church?? Me??? All of the above????

What a great time to be living, and watching Jesus restore to his children.

Self-forgiveness

In the training prepared on Emotional Intelligence used by Option Espoir, the section on Forgiving Self comes before the section on Forgiving Others. Somehow, the reverse order works better for me, because forgiving myself and agreeing to accept the fact that I might have to make allowances for myself, or ever be "gracious " towards myself comes very hard. I guess that's why the exercise is such and important one. Below is my re-working of the statement designed by Sylvain Nantel (Option Espoir).

I have every right not to forgive myself for the choices I've made (name the individual choices here). I'd have every right to never forgive myself. However, I choose to courageously accept the consequences of my choices, and to take the path of forgiveness toward myself. I will believe that there is a better life for me in the future, and that I am not a prisoner of past choices.

Anyone else find "self-forgiveness" a challenge?

An exercice in Forgiveness

It has been interesting as I have tried to move forward how important forgiveness is in the process. The following statement is adapted from material on Emotional Intelligence prepared by Sylvain Nantel (Gestion Optimale, Option Espoir).

I have every right and reason not to forgive ______. I'd be right not to forgive them for a very long time. However out of love and respect for myself I choose the path of forgiveness. I am progressing at forgiving ___________ the pain he has caused me, and I courageously accept the negative consequences this his actions have brought about in my life.

I renounce _______________ (name the negative feelings individually) toward ________ and choose to accept his for what he is. (He is what his is, just as I am what I am!) I choose not to allow further damage from his ___________ (name the offending behaviours: eg. lying, cheating, hyporcrisy, manipulation, cowardice, political agenda, pyschological and spiritual abuse, blackmail, etc).

Any comments or reactions to this formulaic approach? At the moment, it seems to be helpful for me.

Tomorrow I'll post a similar exercice in Self-Forgiveness.