What does turning the other cheek look like?

Destination? Joyful! from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power…

Oh, it’s so good to write from my heart to yours! I pray that my learned lesson acts as preventative medicine for you in your journey toward Destination? Joyful! ™ Grab your coffee and let’s get back to the second sacrifice that makes our Father smile, a sacrifice of righteousness.
So according to Psalm 4:5, we are to not just offer the sacrifice of righteousness, but we are to also put our trust in the Lord. For many of us, that last part is every bit as hard as the first part! I have to confide in you: the more I offer a sacrifice of righteousness, the easier it is to let go, let God, to trust Him with all my soul hurts, my trials and tribulations, my overall well-being! It’s actually liberating, freeing, like spreading your wings and flying … off of a cliff; scary at first but oh, what a feeling.
Our Father loves us too much to leave us the way that we are, and He does what He needs to do to insure we have learned a lesson well enough to begin putting it into practice. Here’s how I can confirm that truth:
Yesterday, after writing for you, I took a run, still suffering from the side effects of my emotional hangover as a result of not turning the other cheek and engaging and exchanging hurt for hurt. Running is a great way for me to sort through things, get out of my head by getting into my head, if you know what I mean.
Well, I wasn’t too far into my run when I was slapped on my cheek by our Father, in a loving sort of way! See, the very thing I was trying to teach someone about, which was it’s not okay to have a fit and fall in it, I wound up doing myself! I remembered how the button of my anger got pushed so violently, and what I immediately stood for, which in and of itself was not wrong; but the way I stood for it, instead of standing against evil, was where I ran into trouble, literally!
Oh, how the bittersweet taste of conviction filled my mouth as He lovingly reminded of many promises that guarantee HE will defend us; He will fight our battles [Exodus 14:14] [Jeremiah 51:36a]; He will vindicate and validate! He is a shield to those who take refuge in HIM! [Proverbs 30:5]. It comes down to taking Him at His Word and letting pride die instead of reside … in my heart. This is a sacrifice of righteousness.
Easier said than done!
See, righteousness translates to doing what is right in the sight of God. Since righteousness constitutes a spiritual sacrifice, it stands to reason that it will cost us something. Doing what is right many times carries a genuine price tag.
Ouch, when I think of Him watching what transpired in the midst of that ugly fire the other night I think of the price He had to pay for my inability to resist evil and turn the other cheek. And then He whispers I am forgiven and His grace holds my head up again, continue on in this journey toward Destination? Joyful! ™
I pray that my learned lesson will be as preventative medicine in your journey toward joy!
Wrapped in His amazing grace,

Evinda