Forgiveness

Mixed Media art made for me by Terri Webster

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galations 2:20

It's Sunday morning again and I admit that I am befuddled Lord. Befuddled by this thing you call grace and forgiveness....it feels like dying, and I know it's meant to. Die to myself, to my flesh...walking in your ways regardless.

When your disciples asked how many times you forgive, you took the number they gave ('7 times') and multiplied it, just like those loaves and fishes.


But I don't seem to have that gift.

Everything in me wants to hold onto anger. It feels good, justified even. The tension internally, to forgive or not to forgive, it's almost too much.
It feels like dying....

And everything in me wants to fight for my right to stay angry and offended.

But you gave up yours to forgive me.

And so I relent again, today, tomorrow, this daily grind of forgiveness, because I know that this is the right thing to do, that grace is so much bigger than anger.

But oh, it feels like dying.

And maybe that's just the idea....




Comments

  1. The struggle to forgive is a tough one. But when we get there? It's a gift to us just as much as - maybe more than - it is to the one we've forgiven. I wonder if it's the same way for God?

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  2. Very true. And our sermon this morning was on this exact topic... forgiving the manyeth time over and over again. When the Lord taps my heart and reminds me that I'm walking in anger, especially "honorably correct" anger, I need to repent to Him and carry the forgiveness forward. Whew! Tough one. And then, to realize it doesn't only make life better for me, both here and in heaven, but plants the right kind of seed in the other heart. Need to focus on something a little bigger and more important than myself. [Trying!]

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  3. Several times I've had to forgive the unforgivable and when I can't I just pray and ask God to forgive for me. I ask Him to change my heart and make it possible for me to forgive because I can't forgive on my own...not when it hurts so much. He's always come through, my heart somehow manages to forgive and I know it isn't my doing it.

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