FORGIVENESS
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One step to godliness-forgive.All have suffered at the hands of another. Everyone has a claim to fear, guilt, and shame. Universal wrongs haunt our memories, and thoughts of revenge clamor for attention. Christ forgave us at Calvary. He politely called us ignorant of what we were doing and pleaded for us—yes, even for forgiveness.
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I have a dear friend who, for an unknown reason, was attacked by a coworker and severely beaten. Luckily some other workers saw what was happening and rescued him. It took some time for his physical wounds to heal. Unfortunately, the inner wounds are still bleeding. The person who attacked him died a few years ago and is buried in a nearby town. I, just a while back, asked him if he had ever forgiven his attacker. The answer shot back...NO!
I was shocked. The energy of his emotions jetting out of his mouth shyly declared the fear, hate, and distrust he has for this dead man. His unforgiveness was His way to feal safe. I suggested he drink a lot of coffee, drive to that man’s grave and relieve himself. The answer was still NO! There was no way for him to gain closure. He was still being beaten. He had lost more than a few minutes dressed in pain, he has lost years of feeling safe. And so it is we hang onto hate to cover our guilt, fear, and shame. I have heard hundreds of stories where people became holders of such events. Some from sexual or verbal abuse, and some of even worse violence. Only a few seem to have guts to walk to that lurking dark door off in the corner and open it to discover the light bathed countryside beyond, full of freedom and bounty. They are not ignorant of the door. Right over it is a sign written in blood, FORGIVENESS. |
Over 40 years ago, I met a man who himself had many reasons to sit on his fear and hate, brooding over them like some prize leading to fame, yet he declared,
Since then I have watched to see if he was correct. Maybe not a hundred percent, but the odds are way in his favor. Then too, I have seen many movies where the writers know this statement to be expected, and sure enough, the one hating the one who hated them becomes an image of the same.
I am convinced the adage holds. If I cling to hate, I recreate the hate I cling to. If I adhere to fear, I reproduce the fear to which I hold. If I love (FORGIVE) God instantly gets through erasing all guilt, fear, and shame. Jesus so believed in the power of FORGIVENESS he taught it to his disciples in what we call the Lord’s prayer...‘forgive and you will be forgiven’. If forgiveness was easy no one would take the time to write about it. But it isn’t easy because the two people you have to forgive the most is God for creating you and you for hating God, just on the principle of things. Remember, you are living in FORGIVENESS you might as well express it to others. |
