The reading for Monday is Mark 11.
When it is time to read, please start first by praying and thanking God for His many blessings. Be specific.
Record your thank you’s on paper or on the computer.
Next present your requests to Him. Ask Him for whatever you want and need. As you do, record your requests and questions on paper or on the computer.
Third, ask Him to guide you in your reading, so that you will hear his message for you today.
After you read, record your SOAP observations and then listen for five minutes. (Yes, I upped it by two minutes this time. I think you’re ready to listen a bit longer.) Set a timer and just listen to what he might be sharing. Don’t ask. Don’t thank. Just listen. (You can pray more after you listen, if you like.)
Here is what I heard in the reading:
Forgive and look at your own mistakes
Scripture: Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Observation:
It is important to forgive others.
How can you ask for forgiveness from God if you aren’t willing to grant it yourself to others?
Application:
I’m not one who holds grudges– or I didn’t think I was.
As I was reading today’s passage, I kept flying through this verse, feeling pretty good about myself until I stopped and listened.
Then I remembered someone who just rubs me the wrong way. It really bothers me that she bothers me so much- and I hate that this frustration over her takes on one ounce of my energy.
After reading this, I asked God to help me get past the whole situation.
Then he revealed to me where I might be doing to someone else exactly what I feel like the first girl is doing to me. Except I’m not. Or, at least I don’t mean to be. But she could perceive it that way and be hurt.
Ouch.
I need to really forgive and move on, giving the first girl the benefit of the doubt.
Then I need to be sure to treat the other girl the way I would want to be treated.
Excuse me while I go write an apology email.
(And yes, I really did stop here, apologize and come back.)
Prayer:
Wow, Lord, you have opened my eyes this morning.
Please forgive me for all the times I have been inconsiderate to others. I don’t intend to be that way, but it happens.
Please help me to try harder to treat others how I would like to be treated– always, and not let things slip through the cracks.
Thank you for your forgiveness and for the eye-opener today.
What about you? What did you see and hear in your reading of Mark 11?
And do you need to stop, go forgive, ask forgiveness, make a change and move on?
Feel free to leave your thoughts, or a link to post with your thoughts, in the comments. If you do link a post, please include a link in your own post back to this post so your readers can see what others had to say, as well, and potentially join us.
Didn’t start reading or Blogging Through the Gospels with us? That’s okay, join in anytime. Each Sunday evening I post the reading schedule for the week ahead and each evening I post the next day’s reading assignment and devotional. Feel free to jump in where we are anytime and blog or journal along using the SOAP format. Feel free to share your thoughts on Twitter using the #Gospels hashtag, too.
If you would be interested in sharing your own SOAP observations on MomsToolbox as a guest SOAP’er, please send me an email using the contact button on the top right. I’ll be in touch soon to discuss the details.
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