April 7, 2008
The
snow in the backyard is getting deep. The corner where the barbeque, the spare
patio blocks and some other goodies got left for the winter has taken on a
surreal look. They are no longer identifiable as individual objects; they have
become a strange shaped mound of snow. The round patio table now looks like a
giant snow cake a couple of feet thick.
With the exception of the
table and the barbeque and the table that isn't buried yet, you would have a
difficult time guessing what the individual items are by their shapes. They have
lost the form of the original and become something different. None of the items
would be usable until I spent some time digging them out from their snow piles.
The same happens when we
harbor un-forgiveness in our hearts. You see un-forgiveness doesn’t destroy
all at once. It starts as something easily removed, but over time it grows. It
covers, it hides, it buries. In time it can change the shape of who we are so
that we're not even recognizable.
I know a woman who is
sweet, caring and a delight to be around. Or perhaps I should say used to be.
Many years ago, she was hurt in a divorce and left to struggle through some very
difficult times. She's never been able to forgive those hurts and in fact seems
to nurture her hurting heart. Perhaps she doesn't know she does it, perhaps she
does it so that she won't be hurt again. Now she's vulgar, coarse, bitter and
hard to be around for long periods of time. You seldom see even a glimpse of the
sweet person who is inside.
It's no wonder Scripture
puts so much emphasis on letting things go, on forgiving and on setting
bitterness aside.
We ask for forgiveness and
pledge to forgive when we say the Lord's Prayer
Forgive us our debts, as
we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 NIV
We're told to explicitly
told to forgive by Christ
For if you forgive men
when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if
you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
Forgiveness doesn't have a
statute of limitations or a maximum limit.
Then Peter came to Jesus
and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins
against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven
times, but seventy-seven times. [some translations seventy times seven] Matthew
18:21-22 NIV
Forgiveness like love is an
action; it's not a feeling. It doesn't matter whether you feel like loving
someone, or feel like forgiving them, the truth is that as followers of Christ
we are called to do it.
Therefore, as God's chosen
people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever
grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect
unity. Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
You have a choice to make.
Let go of those things as God has commanded or be buried beyond recognition in
your own bitterness and rebellion. What will you do?
Until next time, I pray you
take the step of forgiving those who have hurt you, especially those that don't
deserve it, after all Christ forgave you and I when we didn't deserve it. You
can do it in the power of Christ’s love and for the glory of the Lord.
Be blessed!
Darrel
Mason