Forgiveness at the Core

 

Romans 12:17-19, NLT - Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

 

                For several days now, we’ve spent time dispelling many misunderstandings about forgiveness and disqualifying many imposters of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not approval, minimization, ignoring, justification, excuse for an offense.  It is not reconciliation.  It is not justice.  It is not to be confused with healing or a restoration of trust.  It does not necessarily remove consequences for an offense.  It begins with the assumption that a wrong has been committed.  Forgiveness is always a choice that may or may not be accompanied by a particular feeling. 

With all of these pre-qualifications about forgiveness, we’re ready to get at the core of what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is the decision to enter the process of letting go of the right to punish or otherwise use the offense against the offender.  This process involves no longer allowing the offense to take up space in our heart.  It involves the determination do what is necessary to move towards healing of the wound instead of continually re-opening it with rehash after rehash of the offense.   It is a move toward restoring wholeness of heart and mind. It is move towards being more free.

Forgiveness is not for the weak or the timid.  It is hard work.  It often feels counterintuitive because we are doing something for ourselves about something that was done to us by someone else.  But as the scripture above teaches, we are also trusting that God will also do something as well.  God will take care of the offense.  So the work of forgiveness is also a decision to let God be God and not us. 

If this doesn’t sound attractive at this point, please know you are not alone.  I have not conducted any scientific surveys, but I’m quite confident more people than not do not count forgiveness as an oft-used tool in their spiritual and emotional toolbox. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about selfish reasons for learning how to forgive and why forgiveness is more practical than moral.  But for now, take stock of your spiritual and emotional toolbox.

 

Questions:  Is forgiveness a process you that you use on a regular basis to deal with the offenses others have committed against you.  When was the last time you forgave someone?

 

Prayer:  Forgiving God, we have old wounds caused by others that need healing.  Help us to see the ways we might be standing in the way of that healing by refusing to forgive.  Teach us your forgiving ways.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for the healing of divisions in our country right now.

 

Song:  Healing Begins – Tenth Avenue North

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe1yKciSlT4