Seven Times Seventy Times

So there's this new song out by Chris August and I'd heard bits and pieces of it but hadn't really heard it all or really listened to it until today. I was driving home from the grocery and it came on and I cranked up the radio and listened to the words. I do this a lot, I find that God speaks through His music but just like reading your Bible or listening to a sermon, you have to really listen to hear Him. So I listened and He spoke and before I knew it I was bawling my eyes out. (I do this a lot too, I'm a crier)

This song was my life, growing up and doing it too quickly. There were fights, neglect, abuse, alcohol, drugs, violence. You name it, I saw it and felt it and lived it. But life is not about the situations that you're in but how you take those situations and learn and grow from them. I've been close with others who went through the same things as I did growing up and I have to say, there's a line drawn and some stand on one side and some stand on the other. Those who grew from what they experienced stand on one side, some, like me, have relationships with those who at one time hurt them the most. They've learned to forgive and they've learned how to love. Then there are the others who remain angry and hurt and stuck. They are stuck in what happened to them and the thought of forgiving is an insane thought. They stand pointing fingers, blaming everything in their lives on someone else.

Sure, I still hurt at times. But I never look at those that hurt me in hatred, I don't point fingers and I don't blame them for every issue or problem that arises in my life. I know I couldn't have done that by myself, God is so amazing, so loving, He takes every bit of anger and turns it into forgiveness, understanding and compassion. I owe my life to Him. Without Him, I could be the one standing there, full of anger and hurt and just plain stuck.

::7x70::

I've been living in this house here

Since the day that I was born

These walls have seen me happy

But most of all they've seen me torn

They have heard the screaming matches

That made a family fall apart

They've had a front row seat for the breaking of my heart

Seven times seventy times

I'll do what it takes to make it right

I thought the pain was here to stay

But forgiveness made a way

Seven times seventy times

There's healing in the air tonight

I'm reaching up to pull it down

Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway playing hide and seek

I didn't know that I was searching for someone to notice me

I felt alone and undiscovered

And old enough to understand

Just when I'm supposed to be learning to love

You let me down again

Seven times seventy times

I'll do what it takes to make it right

I thought the pain was here to stay

But forgiveness made a way

Seven times seventy times

There's healing in the air tonight

I'm reaching up to pull it down

Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways you let me down

But no matter how many times you weren't around

I'm alright now…cause God picked up my heart and helped me through

And shined light on the one thing left to do

And that's forgive you, I forgive you

Seven times seventy times

I'll do what it takes to make it right

I thought the pain was here to stay

But forgiveness made a way

Seven times seventy times

There's healing in the air tonight

I'm reaching up to pull it down

Gonna wrap it all around

I've been living in this house here since the day that I was born