“Are you sure? Wait, tell me again EXACTLY what was happening at the time she said that?” These were the questions I kept asking my son as he proceeded to tell me what his teacher had said to him in front of his peers. “Surely there is more to this story,” I thought. How could a praying, Christian teacher, at a Christian school say something so hurtful to him?! After repeating the questions several times only to have him tell me the same story over and over, I reached for my phone as I said to myself, “How dare she do that!”
Instantly, it was like God placed His hand on mine and said, “Wait.”
“I’m sorry, maybe I misunderstood you Lord. I mean, how long do you expect me to wait?” My son’s story had not changed, and I needed to get to the bottom of it!
Softly, God spoke to my spirit once again with that one word, “Wait.”
Finally, I submitted and told my son that I would get to the bottom of it. However, I felt I needed to pray before I spoke with his teacher about it.
That evening I went to the Lord in prayer. He reminded me how I am much better at expressing my thoughts and feelings when I write rather than speak. So, I concluded that I would write the teacher an email.
Wouldn’t you know, as soon as I began to write that email God began to speak to my heart. It was as if He pulled out that file marked GRACE from those words of His that were written on my heart when He filled me with His Spirit. He asked me, “Have you never spoken those same hurtful words to your son?”
OUCH! That hurt!
“Well, yes Lord I have said that before.”
And the next convicting question, “Do you not love your son?” OUCH! That hurt as well.
“Well of course I love my son.” I could see where this was going… My heart was pricked. “God, please forgive me for my anger and bitterness toward my son’s teacher. If I, his mother, who loves my son deeply, am capable of saying things that hurt my son in a moment of anger, surely this woman is also capable of making a mistake.”
Needless to say, the words I wrote in that email were an example of the grace God had just extended to me in my moment of repentance.
The following day, I received a phone call from my son’s teacher. Her words left me sitting in my car in a parking lot weeping. With heartfelt contrition, she proceeded to ask for my forgiveness and to confess what she had said. She then asked if she could pray with me. It was a moment I will never forget. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I was so grateful to God for speaking to my heart in my moment of impulse and for asking me to wait. Had He not, this situation most likely would have turned out much differently.
When I read Matthew 26: 69-74, I can imagine the conviction that set in on Peter’s heart the moment he realized he just denied Jesus—just as Jesus had already known he would. Did Peter not love Jesus? Of course, he did! Was Peter not a follower of Jesus? Of, course he was! In fact, Peter is one of three disciples we see sharing some of the most intimate moments with Jesus. What Peter was not wanting to recognize at first was the fact that he was also flesh. I mean, who would want to believe or admit that they would be capable of hurting someone they loved? However, in that moment when fear and panic set in, Peter did exactly what we also have been guilty of. His words hurt the one he loved. Peter sinned just as we all have sinned. How Peter responded after he was reminded of Jesus’s words is what made ALL the difference.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:75 (NKJV)*
When Peter repented, God’s grace was once more extended. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, but Jesus also knew Peter’s heart. What could have turned out to be Peter’s demise, instead became a beautiful testimony.
Prayer: Lord I love you and I am so thankful for your mercy, your grace and your spirit. Lord, please forgive me for anytime that my words were not pleasing to you. God help us to be mindful of our speech. May my speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6). May my speech be pleasing to you and my words be used to build up and not tear down. God may I always be quick to forgive and to extend grace even as you forgave me (Eph. 4:29-32). Lord, if there is anyone who you feel I might have spoken harshly to, I ask that you show me so that I may repent of it and ask for their forgiveness. In Jesus name, Amen.
*Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Instantly, it was like God placed His hand on mine and said, “Wait.”
“I’m sorry, maybe I misunderstood you Lord. I mean, how long do you expect me to wait?” My son’s story had not changed, and I needed to get to the bottom of it!
Softly, God spoke to my spirit once again with that one word, “Wait.”
Finally, I submitted and told my son that I would get to the bottom of it. However, I felt I needed to pray before I spoke with his teacher about it.
That evening I went to the Lord in prayer. He reminded me how I am much better at expressing my thoughts and feelings when I write rather than speak. So, I concluded that I would write the teacher an email.
Wouldn’t you know, as soon as I began to write that email God began to speak to my heart. It was as if He pulled out that file marked GRACE from those words of His that were written on my heart when He filled me with His Spirit. He asked me, “Have you never spoken those same hurtful words to your son?”
OUCH! That hurt!
“Well, yes Lord I have said that before.”
And the next convicting question, “Do you not love your son?” OUCH! That hurt as well.
“Well of course I love my son.” I could see where this was going… My heart was pricked. “God, please forgive me for my anger and bitterness toward my son’s teacher. If I, his mother, who loves my son deeply, am capable of saying things that hurt my son in a moment of anger, surely this woman is also capable of making a mistake.”
Needless to say, the words I wrote in that email were an example of the grace God had just extended to me in my moment of repentance.
The following day, I received a phone call from my son’s teacher. Her words left me sitting in my car in a parking lot weeping. With heartfelt contrition, she proceeded to ask for my forgiveness and to confess what she had said. She then asked if she could pray with me. It was a moment I will never forget. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I was so grateful to God for speaking to my heart in my moment of impulse and for asking me to wait. Had He not, this situation most likely would have turned out much differently.
When I read Matthew 26: 69-74, I can imagine the conviction that set in on Peter’s heart the moment he realized he just denied Jesus—just as Jesus had already known he would. Did Peter not love Jesus? Of course, he did! Was Peter not a follower of Jesus? Of, course he was! In fact, Peter is one of three disciples we see sharing some of the most intimate moments with Jesus. What Peter was not wanting to recognize at first was the fact that he was also flesh. I mean, who would want to believe or admit that they would be capable of hurting someone they loved? However, in that moment when fear and panic set in, Peter did exactly what we also have been guilty of. His words hurt the one he loved. Peter sinned just as we all have sinned. How Peter responded after he was reminded of Jesus’s words is what made ALL the difference.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:75 (NKJV)*
When Peter repented, God’s grace was once more extended. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, but Jesus also knew Peter’s heart. What could have turned out to be Peter’s demise, instead became a beautiful testimony.
Prayer: Lord I love you and I am so thankful for your mercy, your grace and your spirit. Lord, please forgive me for anytime that my words were not pleasing to you. God help us to be mindful of our speech. May my speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6). May my speech be pleasing to you and my words be used to build up and not tear down. God may I always be quick to forgive and to extend grace even as you forgave me (Eph. 4:29-32). Lord, if there is anyone who you feel I might have spoken harshly to, I ask that you show me so that I may repent of it and ask for their forgiveness. In Jesus name, Amen.
*Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Amy Cormier is dedicated to her work for the Kingdom of God. She, her husband, Joshua, and their three children, Tayton, Jaci, and Ty, reside in Lake Charles, LA and have attended Livingway Pentecostal Church since the Lord led their family there as new converts in January 2013. When God filled Amy with His Spirit, He set a fire in her that has grown more consuming with the passing of time. Her love for God shines through her commitment to the spiritual and her hunger for His Word, and her love for His people is most evident in her burden for children and young adults. God has used her to minister to youth through bus ministry, Sunday school, and Bible studies, but Amy’s zeal for God is also apparent in her contributions to an adult small group and in her work as a real estate agent. “The thing I love most about my career is it allows me to reach others outside of the church.” Now, Amy takes on a new challenge, sharing her affection for the Kingdom, through writing.
RSS Feed
