Quotes, thoughts, verses, prayers...

I've been having an amazing time over the last couple of weeks with my devotional book "Cultivating a Forgiving Heart" by Denise George.  God is really moving in me and I have to share some of this stuff with you.  Some quotes... some thoughts...some verses...some prayers...

Quote:

"Forgiveness is an act of the will.  Know that you don't have to feel forgiving in order to forgive someone who hurts you.  Neither must you rid yourself of feelings of anger." ~ Denise George

Quote:

"You can decide to travel the new direction toward pardon and release, no matter what your emotions summon." ~ Denise George

Thoughts/Questions:

Only someone who intentionally hurts me requires my 'forgiveness' -- accidents require us to 'excuse' the hurt.  So what about those who are oblivious to the way they are hurting me?  Is insensitivity an accidental offense or an intentional offense? Does it mean that there are many people I simply need to excuse rather than forgive?  Or is it the person's duty to be sensitive to my needs? To my feelings? To potential ways they might be hurting me or others?  Whose responsibility is this?  Is it their responsibility to stop hurting me even though they are unaware?  Or is it my responsibility to not be hurt as much?

Prayer:

"Lord, let me be truthful with you.  I despise what [name your offender] did to me.  I do not, in any way, feel forgiving toward this person.  But I now see that my feelings have nothing to do with my decision, my will, to forgive.  I choose to forgive, Lord, in spite of my feelings, in spite of my urge for retaliation.  As of this moment, Father, I completely forgive [your offender].  ***I pray that you will enrich my heart with good feelings of forgiveness.*** Amen." ~Denise George

Quote:

"One of the greatest barriers to forgiveness is the myth that forgiveness automatically frees our offender from any consequences for his actions.  Such a misunderstanding makes many people hesitant to forgive and condemns them to a life of unnecessary bitterness." ~ Robert Jeffress 

Thought:

This idea of consequences and justice is right where I am at.  I am so concerned about consequences and justice for those who offend me... not violent consequences or revenge, but genuine 'pay for what you've done / feel my pain' type of consequences and justice.  This is the main trap of bitterness in which I find myself.  You must pay the price for the wrong that you have done.  And of course we all know that in many cases, especially the cases in which the offender has no clue that they've done something wrong, consequences (at least earthly, noticeable ones) are not obviously paid.  This is one of the most difficult things in all of life for me to handle.

Quote:

"... no amount of unforgiveness can make an offender suffer your pain." ~ Denise George

Verse:

Psalm 32:11, "Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!"

 

Thoughts:

Psalm 51 is David's very popular psalm of repentance.  I've read it many times, heard sermons on it, sat through devotions on it... but today it hit me that David's repentance is to **God**.  We do not see him going to Bathsheba or Nathan or Uriah's family (!) to ask them for forgiveness or to express his repentance.  We don't see a public proclamation of the pain and guilt he is suffering.  This matter of his repentance and of his contrite heart was actually a very private emotion between him and God.  I wonder if the others even knew he felt so sorry, so guilty, so horrible about what he had done.  It's possible that they continued judging him, thinking he did not feel sorry/guilty about his sin.  I wonder if he ever gave any indication.  Thus!  Another reason we can never assume to know what people are thinking - or know what their motives are.  We can never truly know.  They might be feeling bad/sorry/guilty, but not have the outward emotional capacity to show it!  Assume the BEST of others!

Prayer:

"...I trust you, Father, to judge this offender.  I trust you to order consequences in a way that will help each offender to see the crime and to learn a lesson from it.  I am content now, Lord, to not wish cruel consequences upon my offenders, but to entrust you to deal with  each one as you see best.  And, Father, even if my offenders suffer no consequences in this life for their unkind actions toward me, I'm okay with that, too.  Thank you for leading me to forgive.  I promise to pray for my offenders as you bring that person's name to my mind.  In your name, I thank you for the freedom that this forgiveness will bring. Amen." ~ Denise George

Thought:

This prayer which appears above reminds me that it is NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY to control the consequences my offenders face or to control the lessons that they learn as a result of the mistakes they make.  It is God's responsibility.  Not mine.  Therefore, I have to LET IT GO.  I have to TRUST GOD that he will order the consequences -- here, now on earth... or later in heaven at his seat of judgement.  I must accept forgiveness and give forgiveness freely.  I must see things from others' point of view.  I must, as stated already, see the best in others and not assume to know their motives.  Again, I repeat.... not my responsibility.  New mantra.

I hope some of these quotes, thoughts and prayers have helped you as much as they have helped me.  What a tremendous journey I am on.  Thank you, Lord, for leading me this way.

~lk