I just want to thank God today for the concept of forgiveness or as I need to call them from time to time: "Do-Overs". The only thing is, I wish I didn't need to use them as often as I do. Does anyone else ever feel that way? I know I cannot be the only one who feels as though they just keep needing a second, third, fourth, maybe 56th do-over. Right? One of the wonderful things about God is that He knows my heart, even when no one else does. He understands my heart even when no one else does. He knows when I mess up and I am genuinely disappointed about it. He sees my sorrowful heart and He forgives me...He grants the "do-over".People on the other hand, not so easy sometimes. When we mess up and it effects the people in our lives and in our spheres of influence, they can't always see our heart-felt sorrow or the disappointment we feel because of our own actions. Sometimes they can see it and yet it is still hard to grant the "do-over". I wish we weren't that way. When people hurt us or wrong us...it can leave a mark or a scar. When we put our hand on a hot stove, we learn very quickly not to do that again. When we open up to someone, trust someone, allow someone into our worlds and they wrong us in some way, sometimes the reaction is not to do that EVER again--not to allow them the opportunity to hurt us (burn us) again. "Self-preservation"- some call it. It's so easy to just shut down, to close up, to withdraw.
I struggle against doing this because it is more than a silly term like "self preservation" is it unforgiveness. But unfortunately, it can be in my nature, from having been burned way too many times, in some circumstances. However, the key to all of this is seeking to know the heart of the offender. If I know someone has hurt me and left a burn mark on my heart, but I am able to determine that it was not intentional and that they hurt too that they caused me harm, I should forgive. It is tough to do sometimes even when the offender is truly sorry. But if they are truly sorry...it is critical. It is biblical...especially if we expect to be forgiven too.
Now, I would never recommend anyone putting themselves in harms way or at the mercy of someone who continually hurts them, wrongs them, cannot seek forgiveness, and does not make efforts to correct and change the issue. Those situations are markedly different. Forgive, but do not continue to allow the abuse...and if those are the circumstances...then it is abuse.
I want to thank my God today for all of the thousands of "do-overs" He's granted me and to those in my life who have granted them in the past and will grant them now and in the future. I make every effort to recognize my falters and failings and beg God to help change me daily. I also ask God to help me also grant those "do-overs" to those in my life who falter and fail effecting me as well. We all fall short. We all need forgiveness and "do-overs". God, help me to be like You. Help me to grant "do-overs" with a glad heart. Help me to start anew today with yet another clean slate. Help me treat others to a clean slate as well. Help me to leave past injuries behind me and to never revisit them on myself or on others. Help the scars to leave me smarter not harder.
---Because of your Precious Son...AMEN.
2 comments:
Ouch! You mean my "self-preservation" tendencies are really unforgiveness towards those that have hurt me?!? I never really thought about it that way, but I know you are right. Ouch!
Good post. I think we should all be thankful for the do-overs we are granted.
God has a tremendous advantage on us, He can read hearts, we can't. He sees the Godly sorrow, or not, in us. What needs to be confessed before God is weakness, and blindness. What cannot be forgiven is willful, unrepented, ongoing sin. Look closely at the story at the woman taken to Jesus after she was caught in the very act of adultery. Did she actually confess (repent)? Jesus (being God), was able to read her heart, and gave her forgivness. He also gave her the command to go and sin no more. Do we think that was her last need for forgivness? I doubt.
However, I do think He correctly read her heart (seeing Godly sorrow), and put her on notice to not do that again. Our greatest challenge is to understand that nothing is hidden from Him, we may fool one another, but not Him. He will see Godly sorrow, or not. Not means no forgivness, danger! Great thoughts you bring to friends.
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