Three of the most freeing words in the English language:
"I FORGIVE _________________."
We have all been hurt, offended, disappointed, wounded, betrayed, let down, burned, or cut-off by someone before...and when it happens, it really can affect us deeply. We get hurt for a variety of reasons, but whether we are right or wrong doesn't ever lessen the initial dose of pain that comes when the boom is lowered against us.
The only thing that hurts worse than the initial act of betrayal is the bitterness that increases as we continue to carry that pain with us. At times, our lack of forgiveness can become an uncontrollable beast that lashes out within us and then through us.
When I was running Saturday morning, I was thinking about a situation where someone betrayed my friendship and attempted to undermine my reputation. It happened a while back, but the pain has lingered off and on in my heart and mind for quite some time. In the course of running, as this person's name came to mind, I uttered a prayer, "Lord, I really want to forgive _________________."
In that exact moment, I felt and heard the Lord speak back to me: "Well, why don't you forgive ___________ right now?"
OUCH!
Forgiveness means to wipe the slate clean, as if the offense never happened. Forgiveness is a difficult issue for many of us because we'd rather see justice--we want to know that the offending party has had to pay a penalty in order to make things right.
The bottom line is that we are to forgive others in the same way that Christ forgives us. No justice, just grace.
Forgiveness begins with our willingness to erase the pain and agony we have felt in order to move forward. It is a choice that depends solely upon the action of the "forgiver."
The pain that I was carrying from my lack of forgiveness toward _____________ was much worse than initial wound, and that was not his fault, it was mine.
As I continued on my run, I prayed a prayer of forgiveness concerning _____________. I asked God to forgive me of the ill-feelings that I harbored far too long against this person. I prayed that if those feelings tried to creep in concerning this person again, that the Holy Spirit would remind me that I wiped the slate clean and there was nothing left to forgive. I also prayed for God's continued blessings upon this person and their family.
I intentionally left the _________________ for the name because I am guessing that you have someone in your life that you need to forgive. Ask God, "Whose name would I use to fill in the blank?"
Forgive quickly. Love extravagantly. Be free.
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