Me? Forgive?

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22)

"Put on therefore as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (Colossians 3:12-13)

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." (I Peter 3: 8-9)

She felt small and lost, running through the woods as fast as she could. It was dark and it was raining. Water stung her face and mixed with the tears on her cheeks. The path beneath her pounded with each leap that she took. She was all alone. There was no one to help her...no one who cared. Why, oh why, was life so incredibly hard? It was hardly worth it anymore at all! Hurts had led to one thing, then another, until she had found herself, disillusioned with living and unable to get herself out of the pit of bitterness she had dug herself into. With each painful act, each hurtful word, she had clung to the sting and allowed herself to root herself in pride and anger. There was no place left to go besides utter humility. Humiliation for her! How could she do that?

How little life has to offer to those who refuse to forgive! How much greater joy we could have is we chose to take the hand that reaches out and extends the grace to forgive! Someone once said, "forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." Girls, this is what we are called to do...to forgive those who crush us. There is no greater joy than to enfold in the arms of your heart, the person who has broken your it, and to be able to say, I surrender all to God...all the hurt...all the pain, that I cannot hold alone! It takes so long to uproot that bitter tree within your heart when you do not root up the tiny weed to begin with.

I think that as young ladies growing up in godly homes, we tend to grow angry towards our parents especially when they make mistakes. A very wise friend once told me "give your parents grace. They aren't perfect." This is so true. Our parents aren't perfect. They are human. Ladies, lets try not to get bitter at our authorities who sometimes stumble just like we do. For years, I expected my father to run his life perfectly. I required blamelessness in order to allow him to give me guidance. I told myself that if he could not successfully run his life, that he would have no part in mine. I chose not to forgive. I held onto things that were small as well as the things that were big.
Bitterness does terrible things to a person. It rips away from them all the love they have. They have no love left after a very short period time. Instead, it is replaced with emotionless, hardened, anger. It makes your heart like concrete towards those who most love you and most want to help you. Your parents may not be running life exactly as you would, but give them the chance to show you that they are the people God has chosen to direct your life. Any mistakes on their part will be avenged by the Lord.

When I was able to step back and let God work on them, great things happened. But while I tried to change them, our family went downhill. Before we can be in full fellowship with God, we must forgive those who have hurt us. You may ask the question, "how can I forgive when it hurt so much?" I am asking that same question as I deal with something that needs forgiveness at the core. As timely as this post is for me...I struggle deeply with it.The longer you wait...the more it will hurt. The more it hurts, the more reluctant you will be to release it. Let me paint for you a picture that will allow you to see what true forgiveness is:

On Calvary Hill in a barren land,
Stands a wooden cross,
With a tortured man.

A soldiers curse,
The jeering horde,
a rattle of dice,
parts the robes of our Lord.

Tried three times before the Jew,
Three times tried by the Romans too.

The only words to pass His lips,
were Jesus' claims to Messiah-ship.

The shouts arose to crucify;
for blasphemy, this man shall die.

The numbing drink refused by the Son,
The nails were driven,
the deed was done.

Father forgive them,
they do not know;
These words fell deaf
on the crowd below.

One thief railed with anger cried;
The believing thief granted paradise.

These words to the mother,
"Behold thy son!"
Her life commended to Christ's loved one.

His words speak not of physical cost,
But of the terrible anguish of innocence lost.

For you and me He died that day,
For God's wrath to satisfy.

Our debt He came to pay in full,
This is forgiveness...to the full.

As we continue on in our week, our daily hurts driving deep within us, allow the heel that crushes you to be turned into the sweet joy of forgiveness. Let God make all things new...He's good at that...and we aren't. Let us ALWAYS remember the man who hung on Calvary for a sin he didn't commit...and for the debt that was paid in full for us...for you and me...a debt far greater than the one our offender owes us. His love was at a far greater cost. Can we afford the lesser cost? At least for his sake!

Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free...and to find that that prisoner was you.Our sense of fairness may tell us that the person should pay for what they have done wrong...but forgiveness is love's power to break nature's rule.

Hannah~