Lakepoint Church with Brian Hofmeister Lakepoint Church, Muskego WI

We can do better.  And that makes us feel worse.  Everything we do seems to reinforce at some time or another that “I am a bad person.”  Which is actually true, but the false self is untrue when it says, “I’m an unloveable person.”  We need to learn to repent, but as much or moreso we need to learn that we are loved even as the sinful selves we are, love is not waiting for us to repent before he loves us.
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“Love costs, love hurts, love engages the whole of the self.  Indeed, love, as a slowly unfolding process, involves self-giving and self-transcendence that can only happen if there is already a healthy self-possession and a secure sense that self-gift will not become self-destruction.” - Philip Sheldrake
Your surrender can make a difference in the life of someone else. Whether it's systemic change or the change of an individual life, there are deeply held values that can transcend the culture around us and move into acts of compassion and generosity that will confound the world around us. 
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In a world obsessed with productivity and achievement, Jesus invites us into a different path—a path of rest and surrender. This Sunday we explored the radical concept of Sabbath and how it could be the next invitation of your spiritual journey.

Sabbath is a time to come back to Jesus, sync up with the Holy Spirit, and connect with our truest selves. It allows us to peel back the layers of protection and experience deep rest. Despite the challenges of our busy lives, Sabbath is essential for our well-being in a culture filled with anxiety and busyness.
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Through the  story of Jesus' crucifixion and his proactive forgiveness to those murdering him, we discover the boundless mercy and love God has for us, even in our darkest moments. If Jesus extends that kind of forgiveness to that group of people, we can trust him when he says "if we confess sin, he is faithful and just to forgive."

When we choose to trust the promise of scripture, when we choose to trust the character of God, we can then move on to forgiving ourselves. As we've learned, forgiveness is not forgetting. So, we will always have some sort of memory of the times that we've found ourselves in need of forgiveness (from God and from other people). However, there's a process in which the forgiven need to live in forgiveness. If we go through the process of confessing sin, we also need to go through the process of self-reflection to say "If God has forgiven me, how can I choose to forgive myself when the sting of my sin starts to gain a hold on me again." 
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This week, we explore the concept of owning our own part of forgiveness. Forgiveness starts with us, in our own hearts. Just as Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross, we are called to extend forgiveness at our own expense. We must own our part in a conflict or situation, offering sincere apologies, understanding, and explanations to the person who has hurt us. Our goal is to create opportunities for growth and restoration between us and others, recognizing that this process may not always lead to immediate reconciliation. We also understand the need for differentiation, allowing each person to have their own response and setting boundaries when necessary. We acknowledge that forgiveness is not always easy, but it is ultimately an act of obedience and a reflection of God's reckless love for us. Through the power of forgiveness, we can experience healing and reconciliation, balancing ourselves at the foot of the cross where both the body of Christ and His blood were shed for us and for those who have hurt us.
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