On Forgiveness
What an incredible blog series on Forgiveness we have had this month. My guest bloggers were so vulnerable and because of that I truly believe that many of you are beginning to walk in freedom for the first time because you have chosen to surrender the bitterness and hate. Thank you, Kelsey and Heather, for sharing a piece of your hearts with us.
I started praying on my knees a few weeks ago each night around 10 pm. There are days I can’t wait for my reminder to go off so that I can get beside my bed and take my requests, my dreams and any other things that are heavy on my heart to the throne room. There have been a few times where I am laying on my couch and because of having a bad day I found myself looking at that alarm the same way I do my morning alarm clock. I will let it ding the first time but then I will hit snooze and the next time it reminds me I will go. I finally after the third snooze walk slowly into my room and get on my knees and embarrassingly have nothing to say. I mean there are words to be said, words that need to come from my mouth – like I am sorry, I need to forgive so and so, or God I haven’t trusted you today but I can’t seem to muster up the words. I sit in silence and the more I sit the more I feel the presence of God consuming every molecule in my room. Those nights have been some of my favorites honestly because ladies when we have nothing else to say we position ourselves to let the Holy Spirit intervene on our behalf. As the Spirit of God begins to soften our hearts, He also stirs up the things within us that need to be removed and surrendered.
I remember when my girls were smaller. They would be doing something and playing so well together and then usually one of them would come and tell on the other for something that was said. I would do like any other parent would do and make them hug and tell each other that they were sorry. Isn’t it funny when we someone says they are sorry we don’t say “you are forgiven”? I think those words are just as powerful as I am sorry.
We began this series reflecting on the cross and how the weight of Jesus’s death brings the ultimate redemption to our souls. Today I want to focus on one verse out of Luke chapter 23 verse 34.
Then Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do”.
The Jewish leaders, the Roman politicians and all the people watching including the soldiers truly believed that they were crucifying Jesus out of some sort of justice. They truly had no idea that the man they were hanging on the cross and had beaten to be unrecognizable over and over was the very One that was the Messiah. The very One who was going to open the door of grace with arms wide open for people like me who have often clung to justice overseeing the bigger picture.
Justice often is rooted in revenge and it leaves a trail of brokenness behind.
Trust me I get it. I know that many of you have been hurt over and over by the same person. For many of you, there have been people whom you thought would be in your corner for life and they are nowhere to be found, and lastly, there are friendships that have ended badly and the pain is still lingering. Ladies when I read this verse it sends shock waves down my spine because I know the Messiah and I know His redeeming love and yet I have and still choose to sin. When the pain from any of those above scenarios come our way the hurt we experience can quickly send us into seasons of anger, frustration and bitterness. We don’t “mean” to gossip, we don’t “mean” to cut people out of our lives but y’all WE DO IT.
As we close out this series I want you to ask yourself two simple yet loaded questions.
- Who needs to hear me say I am sorry?
- Who needs to hear you say that they are forgiven
Healing follows forgiveness.
Today my prayer is that your friendships, your broken families and ministries will begin to heal because you have chosen to no longer allow the grip of ___________ (fill in the blank) on your heart to loosen simply because you chose to forgive, or maybe because you chose to say I am sorry.
2 Comments
Dana
When my sons were in preschool, I learned the following from one of their teachers. She implemented this in her preschool classroom.
When one child did or said something hurtful to another child, the following sequence occurred after a brief discussion between the teacher & 2 students.
The offender would say, “I’m sorry that I… (took the toy you were playing with, whatever). Will you forgive me?”
The offended would reply, “I forgive you.”
When I only say “I’m sorry”, I still hold the power. When I say “Will you forgive me?”, I transfer the power to you. When you say “I forgive you”, the slate is wiped clean. <3
There were times when my boys were little that the "I forgive you" response was not immediate, but I found that it did come after a bit more discussion about true sorrow and forgiveness.
Holly Myers
Dana! This is so good. I think we all can learn something from that preschool teacher. I loved what you said about transferring the power to the other person – forgiveness is all about humility! Thank you so much for sharing!