Forgiveness

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Psalms 86:5     For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Psalms 103:12     So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Proverb 17:9     Forgive someone, and you will strengthen your friendship.  Keep reminding them , and you will destroy it.

Jeremiah 31:34     For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

Daniel 9:9      To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him    

Matthew 5:23-24     Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 6:14     For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Matthew 18:21-22       Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.   

Luke 6:37     “Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Ephesians 1:7-8     In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,  

Ephesians 4:32     And be kind to one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:13     bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another: even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

1 John 1:9     If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

             

Oftentimes forgiveness is so difficult for one person to offer to another.  People sometimes purposely hurt others–sometimes sneaky, sometimes not meaning to cause hurt, and occasionally one hurts another without ever realizing they have.  People make ‘off-the-cuff’ comments that can offend another, and they may have no idea they offended anyone.  The other person may be hurt as a memory surfaced from long ago, unhealed, unresolved hurt, and an innocent comment just brought it all forward again. 

If someone has unwittingly caused the offense know, especially if it is not addressed?   There can be remarks made that may cause a memory of a past hurt, and if it is not addressed, can cause a wound to fester.  But the person who never meant to harm is held responsible.   It now causes a wound that the one who made the remark had no intention of causing.   In order to avoid causing a problem the one who was hurt should quietly address and explain why, and deal with the issue–the “infection” before it can spread and become a bigger wound.  No one could know of a past issue which caused pain, at least not all the times one was hurt in a lifetime..  We don’t not have access to everything in a person’s past.  Only God does.  There are so many instances that may have contributed to one’s hurt. 

I think sometimes the one hurt may not be fully aware of WHY they hurt.   They just suddenly have this feeling of hurt and anger, but not specifically why.  We tend to bury memories and occasions which have caused discomfort in the past.  We do not always resolve them as they come up. 

Sometimes it is because we were too young to resolve the issue, sometimes we do not know what to say or who to say it to, sometimes we are threatened to keep quiet about a specific issue.   There are many reasons why it may not be pulled out and dealt with when the first hurt occurs.  And later, it is almost a surprise attack–one that the person inadvertently causing the pain may know nothing about, and certainly have no reason to have intentionally cause the hurt.  They may have been buried deeply for a while.

Some people are very sensitive and take offense often when there was no offense meant.  Sometimes, they have overheard a conversation that had nothing to do with them, yet, they have projected that it is.  It seems some are so insecure that they feel others are always looking to chat and find fault about them.  This is actually a very selfish way of thinking, blanketed behind “low self-esteem.”  Because of the self thoughts swirling around their insecurities and “seeing, hearing” others “chat” about them, when that is not the case.  

God wants us to forgive others.  Jesus, Stephen, and many others forgave while dealing the atrocities against them–beating, stoning, whipping, humiliation, and finally with huge nails pounded into bone and flesh, the suffering on the cross.   There are martyrs throughout the Bible–willing to die for God, for His Son, who willing died on the cross for us, defeated death, rose again, and now sits on His Father’s right.  

I recently read that Corrie Ten Bloom met one of her German guards who had terrorized them while they were imprisoned in one of the German camps.   He sought her out, told her he had met Jesus and asked for her forgiveness.  She said instantly everything inside went cold as memories surface, but then she stuck out her hand and shook his and told his she forgave him.  And immediately, she was filled with peace.  

Until we meet God, we know little about forgiveness.  But when His love and forgiveness washes over us, it is staggering and freeing, and often unbelievable.  After all, we know the awful things we have done, the hurt we have caused, the gossip or lies we have told, or whatever.  We know how much we have sinned.  And yet, if our hearts are truly repentant God forgives us, then sends the Holy Spirit to live within us–to help guide us, keep us on the narrow path, and become more like Jesus.  We do not become sinless and perfect because we confess once.  It is a daily, sometimes several times a day event, because we SIN.  We don’t want to, we would much rather coast along as perfect and sinless, but we are NOT, and will not be.  So we sin, we become aware of it either through the Holy Spirit, or our own minds remind us of the offense to another.  We ask forgiveness of any we have hurt, and then confess to God–and for me I ask for a guard on my mouth or thoughts BEFORE I make the sin!  That does not usually happen.  I mess up and need to ask for forgiveness.  Praise God, He forgives.  Not just once, but as much as needed.  Our walk with Him is a PROCESS.  It does not end until our death.

We certainly will not ever be perfect living in this life.  But with the Holy Spirit’s help and knowing the way Jesus lived and taught, it is what we try to attain, reach for, strive for.  We want to be more Christ-like–kind, gentle, good, joy. peaceful, patient, loving, self-controlled.  But it a process.  We all have history and I don’t think most intentionally want to cause hurt to another.  If we know we have caused hurt–intentionally or unintentionally, we should seek forgiveness with a sincere apology.   But even a sincere apology does not guarantee forgiveness from some.   Then, it is between God and that person.   

But unforgiveness is a weight to carry–and you can only do what you can to resolve someone else’s hurt.  It is well accepted theory that many chronic illnesses are caused or at least worsened with unforgiveness, undealt with anger.  Those are negative burdens for one to carry–and hurts the one who carries the unforgiveness not the one who has apologized.  But forgiving does relieve a load, brighten one’s outlook and I think has God smiling down with satisfaction on the one has forgiven another.  It’s a positive way to try to live.  It shows a wonderful example to others, lightens your negativity, and brings you closer to how Jesus lived HIs life.  

God, I am not perfect by any means, but I try to forgive immediately when hurt.  Thank You for guiding me to mostly recognize how forgiveness benefits me and ‘mybellaviews.’