I recently viewed a youtube video of a full broadside firing of the cannons of a fully restored ship. Awesome Power and loud too. The result of this broadside firing was a substantial amount of smoke, that you could barely even see the ship. It was a whitish bluish smoke that in the end was a huge cloud that finally drifted off.
Now, imagine two or more ships firing at each other !!! It must have been one of those things you would have to be on board to witness. The energy, power, smoke, debris and wood splinters flying all over the place. If you didn't get killed with a direct fire, then you got it by a wood piece flying. What a spectacle it had to be and to witness, that is if you even survived it and even if you did, I am sure that your ship had a lot of damage.
Recently, I was involved in a one on one conflict with someone. As I can look back now and view this situation as an analogy. After the conflict, it took a while before the smoke cleared and then "the damage" was now revealed. Can the damage be repaired ? How long will it take to repair? Or, worse, there is no repair. Well, as it turns out the conflict came and went. All is well and both parties (the other person and I) are getting along. How?
How can we restore conflicts in our lives? The best way I have found is that someone has to let go of their "cannon" and stop shooting !!! When you know the other person is not going to, then I have to look at myself and see what I can do. As hard as it seems, the best approach I have found is in one word - "forgiveness" , even when you know you are right and your actions are justified.
Well, I am not a saint, I make mistakes, I do stupid things, my mouth can get ahead of my emotions. You have to admit, we all have a "cannon" that is loaded and ready to fire at will.
So, a devotional by its definition is: religious, sacred, spiritual, divine, ecclesiastical all of which seem quite academic in a way or ritualistic of which I am not either. So, I am not hear to push my faith on anyone, but rather I would like to express it.
So, if I may, let me express my devotional with you: "Love covers a multitude of sins". Take just one day and let God take all the debris and smoke out of the way, so we can see clearer what is best for all.
Now, imagine two or more ships firing at each other !!! It must have been one of those things you would have to be on board to witness. The energy, power, smoke, debris and wood splinters flying all over the place. If you didn't get killed with a direct fire, then you got it by a wood piece flying. What a spectacle it had to be and to witness, that is if you even survived it and even if you did, I am sure that your ship had a lot of damage.
Recently, I was involved in a one on one conflict with someone. As I can look back now and view this situation as an analogy. After the conflict, it took a while before the smoke cleared and then "the damage" was now revealed. Can the damage be repaired ? How long will it take to repair? Or, worse, there is no repair. Well, as it turns out the conflict came and went. All is well and both parties (the other person and I) are getting along. How?
How can we restore conflicts in our lives? The best way I have found is that someone has to let go of their "cannon" and stop shooting !!! When you know the other person is not going to, then I have to look at myself and see what I can do. As hard as it seems, the best approach I have found is in one word - "forgiveness" , even when you know you are right and your actions are justified.
Well, I am not a saint, I make mistakes, I do stupid things, my mouth can get ahead of my emotions. You have to admit, we all have a "cannon" that is loaded and ready to fire at will.
So, a devotional by its definition is: religious, sacred, spiritual, divine, ecclesiastical all of which seem quite academic in a way or ritualistic of which I am not either. So, I am not hear to push my faith on anyone, but rather I would like to express it.
So, if I may, let me express my devotional with you: "Love covers a multitude of sins". Take just one day and let God take all the debris and smoke out of the way, so we can see clearer what is best for all.