I have a very good friend who for the past twenty plus years has been a constant in my world. We no longer live geographically close yet our hearts remain connected across the miles. When one of us is going through something, either good or bad, a simple phone call requires no small talk —we get right down to the issue at hand.
Recently, as she has re-entered being a part of the body of Christ, the Spirit has revealed an area of her heart requiring attention: forgiveness. She has withheld forgiveness toward several people in her world who over the years have hurt her deeply, including but not limited to family members. Because of our constant friendship; I know the back story to every single hurt. I have watched the walls of self-protection slowly erect until at last she had not only isolated her heart from those who had hurt her, but she had also stopped going to church altogether.
Forgiveness. She called not too long ago with questions about how to forgive a person who had caused so much pain. I’ll be honest, talking to a person about forgiveness has a way of bringing old memories to surface as well as shining a spotlight into areas of one’s own heart where forgiveness has not yet been given.
We read in Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Our Father, who knows the heart of man, reiterates throughout His Word the importance and absolute necessity of forgiveness. When Jesus teaches us how to pray, forgiveness is key: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Mt. 6:12) A verse later he takes it a step deeper, “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.” (Mt. 6:14-15)
Unforgiveness has been linked to sickness and death; forgiveness is linked to vitality and health being restored to one’s body and mind.
Jesus, our perfect example, taught us how to forgive by how He lived. He also taught us how to forgive by how He died. In one of His final breaths on the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34)
Though He had done nothing wrong, Jesus forgave those who sinned against Him-every one of us. Because of His love for us and the Spirit He has given each one of us who believe, we too are able to choose love through forgiveness. If we are willing to forgive, God will always provide us with opportunities to do so.
Because of the time zone difference between my friend and myself, I often wake up to texts from her. This morning I awoke to a text regarding a person she had not spoken to in years whom she knew she needed to forgive. She did not know how to go about initiating contact with him, yet this morning they both happened to be at the same place at the same time. She approached him to ask if they could do coffee soon, which he eagerly accepted. Her text ended with, “And just like that…”
Stay the Course…
Sheila
