Free Will: Sometimes it Hurts

So the past few weeks have been full of emotions. There has been good, bad, and ugliness all around. My life was shaken to the core with my former (not due to the incident, rather because I moved to Asia) pastor Ted Haggard's admission of guilt, a friend’s failure after doing well for so long, and another friend's choice that has caused me to step back for a moment to understand better what her intentions are.

Choices are made everyday by everyone all aver this world. Some are good choices and some are bad choice. I, myself, have been know to make really good decisions, yet others only know me by my extremely poor decisions. Life has taught me over and over that good choices breed good consequences and bad choices breed bad consequences. BUT, Romans 8:28 does provide hope for me when I do choose poorly.

All this emotion hasn't left or gotten much better either, but I have chosen to stay the course that God has laid out for me. He brought me to Asia for a purpose and I will learn everything I can from this pain inside me everyday. It's very interesting that none of this pain seems to have been because of my bad decisions. Well, unless it was the decision to be open and vulnerable with others--then I guess making a good decision can sometimes breed bad consequences. But I embrace this pain and this wonderment of life.
Before when I was child I was afraid of pain, but now as a man I have learned to just embrace it and let God comfort me. Forgiveness is beautiful thing. My heart goes out to my friends who are navigating their way through life right now--just like most of us. I am on my knees constantly for them.

I have also learned the true value of prayer. I know that my life cannot impact and cause another's life to change for the better without that relationship with Jesus. I also know the value prayer for others as well (1 Timothy 2:1-6) and have determined that prayer is the only thing that can save a friend or foe from evil's deadly purpose. Prayer not only saves, but it something that God loves. He loves it when we intercede for those he loves because He does that very same thing. (Romans 8:26-27, 34b)

Regardless of all that happens in my life, I know that God is constant and the one thing I know God has given mankind is Free Will and sometimes it hurts. It hurts when friends make poor decisions and their consequences affect me. It hurts when I make poor decisions and hurt my friends. No matter the pain, I have found that pain, when dealt with properly, can cause a deepness to grow amongst friends. I cannot stop my friends from making bad decisions or cause them to make good decisions. I can only pray and build them up and encourage them to live with their life close to the Father's heart, and to spur others along in love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

I have come to realize the importance of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. I know that before I was so caught up in justice and making right the wrongs by seeking justice and maybe vengeance, I am now convinced that God loves mercy just as much as justice and somehow they are in intertwined.

I love my friends and will continue to be there for them when needed or just to hang out and do ababsolutely nothing just being friends regardless if they choose rightly or wrongly.