The drama unfolds

Every challenge in life can be met with either emotional drama responses ... or the choice to grow and learn.  I typically employ the first to get it out of my system so the second can be more fruitful.

I have a long history of repeatedly being exposed to events that result in my being accused wrongfully of some evil doing.  Since I was about 4 or 5, this has repeatedly been occurring in my life.

Now, YHVH and I have had long conversations about why this keeps happening. His simple answer is, "Because it will until you get over it."  Ahhh, so it's my Achilles heal, then?  Pretty much.  But it's something that can be healed and grown beyond.

I am faced with it again and a friendship hangs in the balance.  Now, the main issue in this case is I have proclaimed my innocence and have been disbelieved.  That simply equates to: I'm a liar. Now, I have for many years understood I have absolutely NO power to change a person's mind and I support their right to think whatever they want about me so I don't waste too much effort or energy on trying to prove my innocence. The interesting additional aspect of this is that I ACTUALLY HAVE AN ALIBI!!!  But no, it doesn't make sense to the other party that I couldn't have done it, it makes more sense to assume the worst of me.

Fine.  You will believe what you believe.  Disregard years of history to the contrary, disregard years of conversations discussing my belief system and how I regard liars, disregard any evidence in bulk that directly contradicts your current belief that this situation is the golden egg.  Oh, and make sure you go back through history and assign other instances in which this similar thing COULD have happened and rewrite that to back up your evidence. 

I think that often times people fail to put things in perspective and I KNOW people don't see the real issue 93.97% of the time.  So what is the real issue here?  What can I learn from this?

Well, the issue is where to go from here, really.  Because the friendship is damaged and must either be repaired or buried.

So is the issue the event that started this ball rolling? No, that was inconsequential to say the least.  The issue is: I can't continue a friendship in where my word means nothing.  I don't lie, but if you believe I do, we cannot be friends.  Simple.  I will not continue a relationship wondering when the next event will occur that you will judge me at fault and I will be found guilty without justification.

Interestingly, I can let go of a friendship and let anyone believe I'm a liar.  I still despise being falsely accused and Scripture backs me up on that (even the 10 big ones address false witness).  But I can once again take this event, deal with it in adult manner and let things unfold as YHVH wills.  My challenge is to be at peace no matter what becomes of this - even to the point of forgiving and moving forward in the friendship ... which has the potential to make it stronger if indeed it is not destroyed beyond repair. 

As for me, I forgive so the Father in heaven can continue to forgive me.  And I know in the end, the truth will be made known no matter what anyone else assumes of me.  And that is where my peace lies.