Forgiveness

  Forgiveness is a powerful word....it is a powerful act.

It is easy to forgive those that we love or those that love us in return......But what about those that we aren't close to? Or that continually hurt us? Or those that we don't 'care' for?

  What exactly is forgiveness??? I used to think that when you forgave someone that you should be able to pick up where you left off and everything would be just fine. I know not quite realistic...but I am an idealist. It is always how I have forgiven others...until 'recently'. I could not reconcile my definition of forgiveness when it was impossible to continue the relationship....then my very logical husband reminded me that different trespasses come with different consequences.  I needed to take a closer look at forgiveness. I know that as a Christian I am commanded to forgive those..any and all...that offend....that's fine when it's an 'easy' thing to do..... But I found myself in a delima....the offense was so great and so deep that I didn't feel that the offending party warranted forgiveness. Horrible, I know... But it brought me to a place where I needed to search out the truth of God's meaning of forgiveness.
   I had told the offending party they were forgiven...I told myself that I had forgiven them...I begged God to help me forgive them....but I still felt hurt and betrayed and angry. So how can you forgive and still feel those things?  I came to the place where I wanted to forgive them but it felt so beyond my reach. I knew God would not hear or answer my prayers...I knew that I would grow cold and bitter and carry needless baggage. So I began to pray that God would help me....that He would show me how and that I would feel that peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)
  Our Sunday school teacher had been teaching on love (oh...my favorite subject :) And my husband just happened to be in the class with me due to laryngitis.  I thought this was going to be good!!! But God knew that I needed this lesson more than my husband....and it was not to be on love but the opposite of love...bitterness. He told us that the way to overcome bitterness is forgiveness. I was all ears!!! He said that forgiveness is a process. He took us Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as Gd for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
  We are to be kind to the offending party. Easy? I think not!!! But God says in Matthew 5:44 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.'  Joseph (from the Old Testament) set the perfect example!! His brothers hated him, sold him into slavery, his master's wife falsely accused him, he wa then thrown into prison for years and then forgot about by everyone...everyone except for God!
  Joseph realized that judgement (to get even) was not his to execute but Gods! Genesis 50:19 'And Joseph said unto them,(his brothers..the offending party) Fear not: for am I in the place of God?' Romans 12:17 a says 'Recompense to no man evil for evil. vs 19-21 'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.'
  Joseph was able to see God's soverign hand in all that he went through. Genesis 50:20 'But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.'  He was able to trust God enough to know that there was a bigger picture.  And Joseph was able to show genuine love and concern for those who had abused and mistreated him. Genesis 50:21 'Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And hecomforted them, and spake kindly unto them.'
  You cannot begin to forgive unless you have a tender heart...you will not have a tender heart towards someone until you show them kindness! Show knidness, followed by prayer while seeking a tender heart and nocus on forgiveness.No one canthose things and be bitter at the same time! Joseph had many oppurtunities to feed the fire of hatred and bitterness, but he decided, instead, to have the correct response...he left the judgement in God's hands. How could he do this? He was close to God!!!
  He chose not to focus on the hurt or loneliness but on the goodness of God...he chose to completely and utterly trust God. Joseph knew about grace!!!!! For alll of this takes grace and a great amount of it!!!
   So now that I have realized that though I may never be able to be close to those that hurt me...I can be kind...I can be tenderhearted...and I can and will forgive them!!!! God's grace is all sufficient!!! God chose to forgive me....I can choose to forgive others...and so can you!!!!!