{"id":4244,"date":"2017-08-06T04:26:23","date_gmt":"2017-08-06T04:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/?p=4244"},"modified":"2017-08-06T04:46:30","modified_gmt":"2017-08-06T04:46:30","slug":"joel-osteen-really-forgive-enemies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/2017\/08\/joel-osteen-really-forgive-enemies.html","title":{"rendered":"But Joel Osteen Do I REALLY Have to Forgive My Enemies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I like to listen to Joel Osteen sermons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He’s the perfect intersection of spirituality, humor, positivity and the human condition.<\/em><\/p>\n

I especially love the human part where Joel admits it’s all hard.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On this particular evening, I am listening to him speak about forgiving my enemies.<\/p>\n

Do I have to? I really am not feeling it and after all, even Joel admits he finds it a bit challenging at times.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"pexels-photo-366063\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s the thing, I truly am ready for the forgiveness phase if only I could move past\u00a0‘Go’ on the game board of divorce.<\/p>\n

How do you forgive when the opponents game piece keeps advancing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Okay, I know Joel is right. Even as I toss and turn on yet another stress filled night as his inspirational words finally calm me enough to induce slumber.<\/em><\/p>\n

I WILL forgive my enemy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I will do the right thing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If I may make a disclaimer…<\/em><\/p>\n

Before this whole marriage snafu and divorce nonsense started I was the kinda person who forgave EVERYBODY and I do mean EVERYBODY!<\/p>\n

Better yet, I had the whole joy of life thing down to a science. I was the person who walked in the door laughing announcing the flat tire I had experienced on the way there. It was a true gift. My mom and my uncle the priest always told me so.<\/p>\n

The joy of life thing that is – not the forgiving part. Forgiving is always hard. It’s a choice which is in many ways harder than making a decision to be happy. Choosing to will yourself into happiness involves just you. Choosing to forgive always involves a far more complicated interpretation of just you and what you can and can’t accept.<\/p>\n

But I digress…<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next morning I wake-up a better person.<\/em><\/p>\n

After all, I did listen to Joel. I’m going to keep my word on this whole forgiveness front.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I let my girls Hazel and Phyllis out and place my purse in my car. On second thought, Phyllis is just a puppy so I let them out yet again and return to my car lunch in tow.<\/p>\n

The door refuses to open. Somehow I have locked my keys in the car – no doubt a result of my second doggie run.<\/em><\/p>\n

I schlep down the street towards my neighbor’s house. A truck stops. We chat for a moment and I bid him farewell. A couple more steps, a knock at the door and a few keys later, I am driving my neighbor’s car.<\/p>\n

I walk into work sporting a Rodan + Fields No Makeup Selfie look.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not entirely the best office attire – more of a #RFGoNaked Facebook pic. But, at this moment, my makeup, money, and mobile remain locked in my car outside the house where at least Hazel and Phyllis have no immediate needs.<\/p>\n

At first, I attempt to explain my ‘natural look’ to co-workers.<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Funny, it’s not met with the same enthusiastic R + D Facebook thread comments – such as; “Hey, you’re still beautiful!” “Really, no makeup?” “You look even more amazing” or my fav “Absolutely stunning!”<\/p>\n

Nope. Just a few kind hearted and empathetic smiles – like I get it! That stinks.<\/em><\/p>\n

No matter.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am going to get through the day because this re-emerging cup is half full girl is sans her makeup, money, and mobile but she does have her munchies. There will be no mascara, moola or moments from Facebook but I WILL be able to eat something over the next nine hours.<\/p>\n

While my friends laugh at my morning escapades, one innocently inquires if the construction guy stopped his truck to whistle at me.<\/em><\/p>\n

Really?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don’t think so, but I do relish her genuineness – she was the only one to give me a somewhat FB’esque Rodan + Fields No Makeup ‘You look fabulous’ comment. And she now reigns as my new favorite.<\/p>\n

In fact, it was quite the opposite. The truck yielding construction guy had taken pity on my needy self and stopped to make sure I was okay.<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe I should have said he whistled. It would make a far better story.<\/p>\n

Once I settled in for the morning I couldn’t help but think of Joel.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My life was a whole lot calmer before the guy who was determined to win the game of divorce and keep my game piece stuck at ‘Go.’<\/p>\n

I didn’t lock keys in my car and sport the Rodan + Fields look (at work that is).<\/em><\/p>\n

My life was Even Steven – steady Eddie. It was balanced and it glided.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the positive Joel Osteen side – I did realize in the world of makeup, money, and mobile – I’m okay as long as my basic needs are met.<\/p>\n

That being munchies. As long as I am full I can do without the rest.<\/p>\n

A bit of a nod to Joel’s spiritual words – as long as we are sustained by the right focus – everything else either falls into place or doesn’t matter.<\/em><\/p>\n

I made it home too tired to listen to Joel that night. The next day as I made my way into work I overheard my friend ask if\u00a0Colleen made it into work with her makeup on today?<\/em><\/p>\n

I had two thoughts…<\/strong><\/p>\n

I loved his sense of humor and empathy to my plight (that being the game of divorce rather than sans the makeup).<\/em><\/p>\n

And I considered going rogue as in permanently Rodan + Fields No Makeup Selfie.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because for the writer in me who takes it all off emotionally…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It felt incredibly ‘freeing’ to match physically.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ironically, forgiveness is something we are often forced to do, makes us feel incredibly naked, impossibly renewed, and absolutely stunning!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes we are locked out of life until there is no other choice but to schlep our humble selves down the street completely exposed.<\/p>\n

Without a whistle…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Photo courtesy of\u00a0Pexels)<\/p>\n

Follow me on Facebook @Colleen Orme National Columnist on Twitter @colleenorme
\non Pinterest @colleensheehyorme
\nE-mail: Colleen.Sheehy.Orme@gmail.com
\nwww.colleensheehyorme.com<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I like to listen to Joel Osteen sermons. He’s the perfect intersection of spirituality, humor, positivity and the human condition. I especially love the human part where Joel admits it’s all hard. On this particular evening, I am listening to him speak about forgiving my enemies. Do I have to? I really am not feeling…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":613,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,9],"tags":[207,20,338,335,57,231],"class_list":["post-4244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-improvement","category-spirituality","tag-christianity","tag-forgiveness","tag-joel-osteen","tag-self-discovery","tag-self-help","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nBut Joel Osteen Do I REALLY Have to Forgive My Enemies? - How Great Thou Part<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/2017\/08\/joel-osteen-really-forgive-enemies.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"But Joel Osteen Do I REALLY Have to Forgive My Enemies? - How Great Thou Part\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I like to listen to Joel Osteen sermons. 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