Forgiveness

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15

The other day I saw two little kids playing.  One child did something to make the other one a bit angry.  When the first child said, "I'm sorry", the second one said, "I forgive you".  Three little words with such power, I forgive you.  I thought about those three words and how, as we grow up, they seem to be harder to say.  We tend to "forgive and forget" much easier as a child than as an adult.  "I forgive you" may even be harder to say than "I love you".  Why is that?

I really thought about my life and when those three words were very difficult to say.  As with many of you, they are hardest to say when we have been hurt the most.  When someone hurts us to our core, our soul, to be able to forgive them seems so "wrong".  They don't "deserve" forgiveness.  They aren't "entitled" to forgiveness.  When those situations have happened in my life, it feels as if forgiving someone is giving in to their actions.  

This was never more apparent to me than when my first marriage was ending.  I felt as if I were to forgive him, then I accepted how he made me feel and all the emotions that were tearing me apart.  This conflict, to forgive or not to forgive, weighed on me - it sat on my chest like a ton of bricks.  One day, one truly random day, while I was sitting in my backyard, I thought about this.  I turned to my Bible and realized that no matter where I turned, it was there - in black and white.

"Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  Over and over, the Bible was talking to me, telling me, it is okay to forgive.  In fact, God WANTS me to forgive.  Forgiveness isn't acceptance of actions.  Forgiveness is cleansing of actions.  Cleansing on my part - cleansing of the bricks on my chest, cleansing of my emotions, cleansing of my soul.  I prayed and prayed that day, thanking God that He brought peace to my life.  Goodness knows I'm not saying I totally forget, but forgiveness brings peace.

Think for a moment on all that YOU have done, all that I have done.  I can't imagine myself "deserving" forgiveness in God's eyes.  Yet, that doesn't stop him from forgiving you and me, from loving you and me, from holding a space for you and me in his eternal home.  "Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  Powerful words to help us move forward from difficult times.  Let us be like a child, willing to say, "I forgive you", and truly meaning it - may it flow from our lips with a sense of peace in our soul.

Dearest Jesus, how blessed I am that you took all my dirt, all my sin, to the cross with you.  You let the words, "I forgive you", roll sweetly from your lips.  Please give me the strength, the compassion and the love to say those same words to others.  Cleanse my soul from a lack of forgiveness and let peace rain over me.  In you forgiving name I pray, Amen!