One of the hardest tasks in life is to forgive someone who has hurt us. This is especially hard when the hurt is something big: betrayal, abandonment, abuse, rejection, and the like. When we've been cheated or mistreated our natural reaction is to lash back, get resentful, grow bitter, or get even.
Jesus tells us to forgive. It's good for the soul and good for the world.
When it comes to forgiving I am impressed with the example of the Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. In 2006 a milk deliveryman named Charles Roberts burst into an Amish school, tied up the girls, prepared to sexually abuse them, and then when police arrived shot ten of the girls, killing five. This was a truly horrific crime that made national news. But amazingly the Amish community of that small town showed a forgiving spirit: attending Robert's funeral, hugging his wife, and taking up a collection for his family.
Forgiveness is possible, even when it is hard.
An even better example of forgiveness was demonstrated by Jesus. Hanging on a cross, suffering a horribly painful and humiliating death at the hands of people who had lied and unfairly turned on him, Jesus cried out to God to forgive his persecutors. His reason: they know not what they do. Rather than considering these people evil, Jesus chose to look at his enemies as clueless, confused, and in over their heads.
Perhaps the people who are hurting you are clueless as well.
Its easier to forgive a clueless person, than an evil one.
Assignment: ponder Luke 23.32-34. In what ways were the people involved in Jesus' crucifixion "not knowing what they were doing?" And how might that be similar to the people causing you pain?
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In what ways were the people involved in Jesus' crucifixion "not knowing what they were doing?"
ReplyDelete1. People always feel justified that they are on the side of good and can be very zealous about it... For instance James and John ready to command fire to come down from heaven to consume a Samaritan village that did not receive Christ. Jesus rebuked even his own disciples saying, "Ye know not what spirit ye are of." At the cross I imagine that the Jews felt threatened by Jesus that their position that was precious to them would be destroyed. I imagine the Romans felt threatened that the peace and order they were there to enforce would be disrupted and their position would also be in jeopardy. But Jesus said to James and John,the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. The One they were so ready to deliver to death had actually come to deliver them to life and life more abundantly. He was offering them a greater position and a greater justification than they could ever know.
2.How might that be similar to the people causing us pain?
I think people who cause others pain also have a deep spirit of Fear of losing their position, it is the pride of life.( A same argument could be made for covetousness,lusting after the position someone else has.)
For me, the hardest people to forgive are those within the body of Christ who have injured you and then continue on as if nothing has happened--or worse yet, feel as if they were somehow justified due to a higher calling. Forgiving though involves a "choice"--and Jesus showed it is the best way to live. Sharon Buttermore
ReplyDeleteForgiving is the cleansing of the soul. The burden that is lifted is tremendous. I held a grudge for about ten years against an old boss who was very nasty to me. Now, I'll bet he didn't even remember me and I hadn't even seen him in that long, but he was on my mind often. It was a drain on my spirit for years. But when I was about 30 I came to realize that this foolishness was harming me and everyone in my life at the time, not that old boss, and why would I want to hold that bitterness anyway? God was speaking to me to let it go, and when I did I was free and finally able to be happy. The same freedom has been felt as I do not let the bitterness and hateful acts toward me from my former wife poison me. Forgiving is uplifting and proof that Jesus is with you. It can be hard, but the benefits our tremendous.
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