Walk the Plank to Forgiveness

Christ said it best in Matthew 7:3-5 “ Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out your own eye, and you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
As a Christian Life Coach I use this principle of forgiveness in helping others with the below acrostic P.L.A.N.K. To find out where I am and where the individual is in his or her journey with forgiveness. This is a searching of the heart exercise; remember that when you write these down make sure they are put in a place where no one who could be hurt by what is written will be able to find this work.

Walk the Plank of Forgiveness


Past Experiences- What past experiences are you still holding on to? The deep ones, the things that no one else knows about, the “take it to your grave stuff.” Write them down, get them on paper. Confess them to God and to another individual you trust. An accountability partner, mentor, pastor, life coach, or counselor.

Lies- What lies have you lived or are currently living? Is there any lie that you know in your heart you must make right? Write these down, try and recall all of the lies that have not been given to God.


Anger & Resentment- Who do you currently have anger or resentment towards? Who do you resent? Who do you hate? Who makes you so angry just saying their name makes you upset? Someone or something that is out there can hold you bondage and by not forgiving it holds them in bondage as well. Make another list. Now set a time. How long are you going to let this person, this circumstance, continue to be the director for your story? This is big stuff, I know. You got to confess this and it will lose its power over you.

Nails- Remember the nails that went into the body of Christ? Good. That was the price that He paid for us, for our forgiveness. Christ tells us to remove the plank in our own eye. Not a speck, a big ole hunk of wood that we can’t see. We can’t get it out without help. This is surgery, spiritual surgery, only God can do that kind of surgery.

Kneel & Pray- The idea of kneeling and praying to God with a list like this is literally walking the plank. We don’t know what will happen next, there is fear, sharks maybe. We bring our past experiences that hold us back to what God intended. We bring our lies, our deceit, our hurts that we have done to others and the broken promises. We bring our anger and resentment, all of it. We remember the price that Christ paid for our forgiveness and we drop to our knees in submission and give it up. Right here. Right now. I surrender everything to your control. Perform spiritual surgery on me Lord. Remove the PLANK from my eye, from my heart. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. In Jesus precious name AMEN.

Remember to walk the plank whenever needed.


By Bill A. Gaspard, Life Recovery Coach

At Recovery & Restoration Ministries we have many helpful tools that will guide you on your journey through recovery. If you would like more information about having a Christian Life Coach to walk alongside of you email us or visit our website.

christianrecoverycoaching@live.com

www.christianrecoverycoaching.com

Recovery and Repentance

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgression, wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:1-2 This is the start of one of my favorite Psalms. King David was confronted by the prophet Nathan after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Nathan was like an accountability partner or recovery coach sent by God to walk alongside the king. David was the king and no one questions the king. Have you ever gotten defensive with someone questioning your integrity or actions? I know I have, I had blinders and ear plugs in for so long it hurt everyone around me. I was king and no one was going to question how I ran my kingdom. Oh how foolish I was, if only I had a Nathan in my life and if only I would have listened when he did question me. Repentance is the 1st key to having God recover you. Not remorse, not feeling bad, but a true from the heart repentance. Like David prayed in this 51st Psalm.
“For I was born a sinner, yes from the moment my mother conceived me, but you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there." Psalm 51:5-5 If we do not admit or repent of our sins we will be burdened by guilt, shame and we will have no joy. If we learn to do this on a regular basis either by having a Nathan in our life or by a searching inventory of our past sins we will struggle to grow. We can’t go to the altar and talk to God unless we have been made clean. David goes on to pray.
“Purify me from my sins and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7 When was the last time you spoke to God like this? The last time you poured out your heart to the one who made it? To repent is to completely turn in the opposite direction, to do a 180 degree turn and go a new way. Lord, remove the obsession to drink, to drug, to lust, to get angry with sin. True repentance means the next time I do what I don’t want to do it hurts me so much because I know that it does not please God. Repentance is not doing what the king wants to do, saying a little prayer then doing what the king wants to do again tomorrow. Repentance is learning to do what the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would do in this situation. “You do not desire a sacrifice or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart O God”. Psalm 51:16-17 Jesus taught that “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4. God is not looking for how we try, He wants us to mourn over our sins and admit our brokenness. Then He will not ignore our needs but will forgive us, comfort us and cleanse us. Once we are clean we are ready for a relationship. We are ready to continue the journey to be recovered by God.


By: Bill A. Gaspard, Life Recovery Coach