Archive for the ‘Forgiveness’ Tag
A clean sheet of paper
January 1, 2010.
First one awake…but not for long.
Nine joins me for “Juice and Coffee”.
I explain to her that today is like receiving a clean sheet of paper.
Carefully think about what you will write on it because there are no do-overs for 365 days.
It’s like when we ask God to forgive us for something we’ve done wrong.
If we are really sorry then we get a do-over.
Psalm 103:12: “He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west.” (NLT)
I’m glad we get a do-over.
I’m looking forward to my clean sheet of paper.
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Forgiveness is the attitude of the strong
Filed under: Reflection, Uncategorized | Tags: Forgiveness, Hypocracy, Judgment
Leave a Comment “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attitude of the strong.” Mahatma Gandhi
That really lays it on the line for me.
I cannot let this topic go. Probably because Christians not forgiving causes a short circuit in the way we are wired by God.
Many thought leaders have thought quite a bit about forgiveness…I like what they have to say.
“He, who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love.” Martin Luther King Jr.
“Without forgiveness, there’s no future.” Desmond Tutu
“Forgiveness is the oil of relationships.” Josh McDowell
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” Mark Twain
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Corrie Ten Boom
So, is forgiveness a conscious choice, or an emotional state governed by some gut-feeling repent-o-meter?
It must be a conscious choice motivated by obedience to God and His command to forgive.
Can it be any clearer…Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
God doesn’t say forgive only if the apology meets your personal criteria of being worthy for forgiveness.
But what if we don’t feel like forgiving?
We must forgive by faith…out of obedience. Forgiving goes against our sin nature. I think God calls us to forgive whether we like it or not. But when the one you should forgive has confessed her sins and begged your forgiveness – watch out for lightening bolts if you still can’t forgive!
Doesn’t God honor our commitment to forgive, even when we don’t feel like it, because we are obedient? I believe we must forgive by faith until God completes the work in our hearts.
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
Like Corrie Ten Boom (Christian woman who was a Nazi concentration camp survivor) said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.”
What else?
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. Matthew 18:2122
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37
Why Forgive?
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 6:14-16
It will hurt your prayer life.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25
Forgiveness is the attitude of those who are obedient and strong in Christ. It will set you free.
We are free.
I’m pretty sure only God has a repent-o-meter
Filed under: Reflection | Tags: Forgiveness, Hypocracy, Judgment
Leave a Comment I’ve had about 36 hours to ponder this.
I’m pretty sure only God has a repent-o-meter. That is only God reads hearts.
So called holy men (actually holier than everybody else in their own eyes, men) who think they can read hearts should read Matthew 7:1-6:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Thanks for the life lesson. I pray that I don’t ever fall into the snare that landed you – thinking I could read other people’s hearts.
Like I said before, you guys are way off the charts on judgment and severely lacking in compassion. Take a lesson from the Dali Lama of all people, who said, “Compassion is the radicalism of our time.” If you want to be radical – like City on a Hill radical – learn to become more compassionate – watch my wife!
Condemnation, judgment, harden hearts are all darkness. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
You guys need to come into the light and not take yourselves so seriously. Seriously!
Things change when you walk in angel’s footprints
Filed under: Reflection | Tags: Be the change, Forgiveness, God
Leave a Comment We’ve stood on holy ground.
We’ve walked in angel’s footprints.
If you believe that God sent angels to take Lucy home. If you think possibly Jesus himself was in her hospital room with us…then something weird and wonderful has happened. It’s like radiation from the holiness that came so close.
I’m not angry any more.
Not about injustice in church leadership circles.
Not about morons who run fine ministries into the ground.
I have looked men in the eye who have caused disappointment to my loved ones and spoken my mind, frank and honest, in love, without raising my blood pressure.
I exchanged emails today with an executive who no doubt had a hand in the demise of my last job but I didn’t feel animosity.
I can still recognize a fool when I see one but I feel sad and sorry for hin instead of anger.
Is that what God feels?
Is that what it will be like when we’re all together, for eternity, in the presence of God.
No more anger – probably no more memories of evil deeds (I hope). Just fellowship.
I wonder if it will last – my radiation wellness?
Maybe a more scientific explanation…less interesting…is that when we experience the ultimate human drama…death…worse yet, the death of a child…then all bets are off. Old scores seem pointless to settle.
I started talking to my neighbors who haven’t spoken a kind word to us in fifteen years. (I guess we haven’t either ;-()
It feels good…no, it feels great!
They too are experiencing two ultimate dramas: the impending demise of a sister and the birth of a grandchild.
I can’t even remember why we didn’t get along.
I’m going with the “holy ground syndrome”! It feels right – feels good.
I hope the feeling lasts.
Truly, this is finding hope in the midst of calamity.
Tragedy of the hardened heart
Filed under: Reflection | Tags: Forgiveness, Hypocracy, Judgment
Leave a Comment I feel sorry for anyone who had a hardened heart.
Forgiveness is a gift from God. He sure modeled it best.
Why is it so hard for some of us to forgive?
I may not match your model of repentance – that’s OK you don’t match my model of love!
Pharaoh is the one I think of when I hear about hardened hearts. How sad to be the poster boy for a hardened heart for all times!
So Moses came to see the big guy to set his people free but the bible says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
So maybe Pharaoh would have let God’s hommes go?
So the story in Exodus goes, God did it so he could show His power.
So is God hardening the hearts of the Toad and his gang so He can show us His power?
So he can be glorified?
Because He has a special plan for us, the beneficiaries of the harden hearts?
The answer is more than I can figure out. I just pray that my heart will never be so hardened by me or God that I can’s show love, mercy, compassion or forgiveness.
That is the worst kind of heart attack.
We need the full armor of God all the time!
This isn’t a clever, pithy, creative post. It is raw but honest.
I thought this junk was behind me. I was “Mister Positive”. But I forgot 1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (NIV)
I was that someone a few days ago.
My daughter (Number Four) was helping a friend serve at a party for her friend’s mother-in-law. While she was chatting with the guests, the topic of Wheaton came up and someone asked her if she had ever been to Wheaton. “Yes, she replied, my dad used to work nearby in Carol Stream.”
An older woman in the group, one of the guests, a senior VP at the ministry that no longer needed my gifts, asked Four where her father had worked. It became obvious that she was speaking to and had been served all afternoon by the charming and delightful daughter of someone who’s livelihood she had helped destroy.
She asked, “What’s your dad doing these days,” like she cared.
Before my daughter could answer, the woman became distracted and never found out – like it mattered.
When my daughter relayed the story I “funked out”.
It is so unlike me to let something like that bother me. Maybe it was that my sweet, innocent, daughter was involved.
I was angry all over again.
I’ve had several days to ponder it and I can’t believe it bothered me that much. I even had dreams about it.
Then I remembered that quote by Penelope Sweet, “Depression is nourished by a lifetime of ungrieved and unforgiven hurts.” I guess I had some more grieving and forgiving to do.
Then I realized that this was one of those schemes of the devil from Ephesians 6:11. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (NIV)
The woman at the party may or may not have had anything to do with my elimination. She may have really cared about me. How many times have I been in that position. Did I always follow up? NO!
I was caught out without my armor on and came face to face with the devil.
Thankfully, God shined the light of truth on the incident and I am getting over it. Being honest with one’s self is critical. Like ole Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
I need the full armor of God every day. Confessing our need isn’t pretty but realizing our needs is the only way we can get stronger. Thank you God for showing me the truth so I will not be a victim of my emotions and easy prey for our enemy.
The inability to construct a future…
Filed under: God, Reflection, Uncategorized | Tags: Forgiveness, Hope
Leave a Comment 
The American existential psychologist Rollo May defined depression as “the inability to construct a future”.
I was looking for quotes about depression because a member of my small group asked the rest of us to pray for her because she was feeling depressed.
Kids, I’m pretty sure I’ve never been depressed. I may have been “down in the dumps” now and then but depressed – no way – not me.
And considering Rollo’s definition, I’ve always been able to construct a future.
God, speaking to us in Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Isn’t it a scary thought to not be able to construct a future? Whether is is the kind of work you hope to be doing in a year or how you will spend eternity, just having the hope that comes from knowing we are God’s is future enough for me.
Winston Churchill said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” I don’t think anyone who can say those words lacked the ability to construct a future.
Here’s another thought:
“Depression is nourished by a lifetime of un-grieved and unforgiven hurts.” Penelope Sweet
Maybe that’s what Proverbs 17:22 means: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (NIV)
So, if you want to avoid depression remember you have a solid future with God and while on the planet, grieve those hurts and then forgive.
I think I’ve always done that but never realized the benefit. Now I need to be more intentional about it.
