New

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I started a new personal morning study today based on the book "Cultivating a Forgiving Heart" by Denise George.  I'm really looking forward to this study as I hopefully garner practical day-by-day tips as I choose to forgive others.

Two thoughts after completing today's study.  

This quote impacted me on the topic of unforgiveness: "The enemy wants to fill our hearts with weeds of hate and bitterness, resentment and guilt.  He wants to stop our fellowship with Jesus and to break up our friendships with others.  He wants to mess up our ministries, wreck our witness, and destroy our lives."  All this that unforgiveness can do!  Sometimes I think it is more 'fun' to stay mad at people... makes me feel better about myself, gives me something to gossip about... neither good qualities, but the reality of life and feelings sometimes.  I'm sure at least some of you out there will agree that the same happens to you from time to time.  

However, I am learning first hand how much destruction unforgiveness can do and what great joy it must bring the Enemy as he sees God's work in and through us being stalled or broken down as we allow the 'weeds' of unforgiveness and eventually bitterness to grow unbelievably deep roots.  I feel this attack very personally right now as we work for maybe one of the most important movements in all of history and I know the Enemy is going great guns to prevent a true transformation of lives and communities among the most marginalized in South Asia from happening.  I think I can play my part in furthering the movement simply by making an effort to forgive. 

That effort, however, is not a small, easy effort.  It is difficult.  It is sometimes heart-wrenching.  It takes more 'muscle' than any exercise I've ever done, any child to which I've given birth.

The other thing that made me think while doing the first chapter of this new devotional book was the story of Corrie Ten Boom and how eventually she forgave the Nazi guard who tortured and murdered her family.  I've heard this story many times before.  I've even told the story on occasion when speaking to women in South Asia and in other places.  A wonderful thing indeed, how she was able to call upon God's strength to take this wonderful step of forgiveness.

Yes, that is all great.  The forgiveness by victims of tremendous tragedy for their offenders is amazing and awesome.  The devotional guide, however, asked how did Corrie's ability to forgive help me learn how to forgive those who have hurt/offended me.  Well, my question ... and please forgive me if I'm being irreverant... is How exactly does that help me in my much less serious, much minor offenses of daily life?  It is not likely that the Nazi guard will ever hurt Corrie in the same way again.  He's never going to murder another member of her family.  However, I cannot say the same for the minor offenders in my life.  Yes, I may step forward and choose to forgive them - either publicly so they know, or even just within my own heart - but the minor offenses of daily life go on and on.  It is likely that the person who I've forgiven will go on and on offending me in the same way.  Unintentionally maybe.  With great malice, maybe. But I still have to make it a daily battle to deal with the hurt nonetheless. 

For me, this is the great difficulty in forgiveness.  I know I need to do it.  I even have tried saying the words over and over again until they become true in my own life and own heart.  I've tried praying good things for those who have hurt me.  I have tried serving them in love.  I have tried praising them in front of others.  All genuinely.  All in an effort to truly forgive.  It just gets wearisome after a while.  The daily battle with forgiveness is not an easy one to wage.  I need eternal help and I'm seeking that now.

So, I have high hopes of being encouraged from my new study on forgiveness.  I'll keep you updated on the progress and the revelations as time goes by.

~lk

Comments

Kim G. said…
Wow - great words and insights. I needed to read this tonight - it is those little "offenses" that seem to pile up and become overwhelming. I think they are the harder ones to forgive because culturally we seem justified to hold these mini-grudges and there isn't the reward or recognition like there is when someone forgives a gross offense like murder or betrayal. I have a couple of relationships that have these kinds of issues. They feel like a nasty sliver under the skin - you know in your head it's a minor thing, but it hurts like the dickens and irritates you when you try doing the most daily of activities. Thanks for sharing what you learned.
12:17 AM
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