Forgiveness

 



"Because of the tender mercy of God,

by which the Rising Sun [Son] will come to us from Heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace," Luke 1:78-79


It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just to real
It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always anger's own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it's power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me

Forgiveness

(Lyrics by Matthew West)
 

When I picked my mom up to take her to one of her radiation treatments in October, she asked me if I had forgiven the one who had brought the lawsuit against us.  The tears streamed down my face almost instantly.  I was surprised by my reaction because I had always been focused on who the real enemy was.  “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” John 10:10a.  We really did not say much after that but it never left my mind.   Mom’s words also made me think about Chris because He had been so good to this person.  I knew he has felt so betrayed. 

Later that evening, I told Chris what Mom had said and that I wanted to make sure that we had forgiven the person who had wronged us.  Chris said, “You can go ahead but I’m just not ready.”   It wasn’t like it was the first thing on my list to want to do either but I told him, “I know that God understands our feelings and that even if we do not want to, we can choose to forgive. “ I just did not want bitterness to destroy us.  “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” John 10:10a.  Chris said, “Well, you go first.”  I began to pray and said, “God, this has been so painful but I am choosing to forgive…..” The tears started falling again because I could not say the person’s name.  It was like someone had their hands around my throat and was choking me.  “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” John 10:10a.  I could not believe how long it took me to finally say their name but when I did I felt such a release.  It was like I could breathe again.   I knew it would be just as hard for Chris and it was.  It broke my heart as I listened to the words of his prayer. 

All of this made me see the heart of Jesus and what He did for me.  In less than 24 hours, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and deserted by his disciples when he was arrested.    Many testified falsely against Him in an unjust trial then spit, blindfolded, struck, and slapped him in the face after He proclaimed to be the Son of God.   Peter who said, “Even if all fall away, I never will,” denied knowing Him three times.  Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him.  Pilate had him punished even though he found no crime against him.  The Roman soldiers stripped, flogged, mocked, beat, crucified him and divided up his clothes by casting lots.  Those who passed by hurled insults at him as they shook their heads, mocked and sneered at him.  Yet in all of this, in pain unimaginable, as he hung on the cross for all OUR sins, “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” (Luke 23:34).  With one prayer, the enemy was silenced!!!  In His death, it looked like Jesus had been defeated and all hope was gone but Hope was about to be raised from the dead and many healed through Him.  “The thief comes ONLY to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] have come that they may have LIFE, and have it to the full,” John 10:10.

Several months again, through my mom’s words, God healed us spiritually and today, God healed my mom physically. At the doctor’s office, we walked in with a spirit of despair and danced out with a garment of praise as they told us that my mom is in COMPLETE REMISSION!!!! When we were leaving the hospital, Mom remembered that my uncle, Randy Hawkins, had given her a word of knowledge from the Lord, a month ago, that she would be healed in 30 days which landed on December 19^th!!!!  PRAISE GOD!!  They also have scheduled an MRI on Friday, December 21, in hopes of doing surgery to correct the fracture in her lumbar that has caused great pain.  God has done so much more than we could have ever asked or imagined!!

Forgive those who have caused great pain in your life and silence the enemy.   Allow Jesus to bind up your broken heart and set you free!  Give Him your ashes and He will give you beauty.  Instead of mourning, He will give you gladness.  Instead of a spirit of despair, He will give you a garment of praise!!!!   As God heals your wounds, may you not be silent but praise Him for what He has done and what He will do in your life.   “You have turned my morning into joyful dancing.  You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.  O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever!” Psalm 30:11-12