As I been forgiven much in my life, there has also been much that I've had to forgive. Over the summer I recalled a painful incident from my childhood which still stung as though it happened yesterday. When I addressed it and found a way to forgive, one very difficult yet important lesson came out of it. In order to forgive, I had to take "me" out of the picture. Forgiveness was impossible as long as I focused on the pain and the offenders. When I allowed the offense to be less about me, healing and forgiveness were inevitable.
We often withhold forgiveness because we believe that by offering forgiveness, we're letting the offender off the hook. NEWSFLASH!!! They were already let off the hook when their sins along with your and mine were nailed to the cross.
When someone offends us, the pain can sometimes cut so deep that we will only extend forgiveness on our terms. We wait for the offender to come to us asking or even begging for forgiveness; but as we see in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), the father didn't wait for his son to come to him asking for forgiveness. The only term he offered for forgiveness was love (Luke 15:20).
The amazing thing about forgiveness is that when God forgives us, He blots out the offense as though it never happened. Words cannot describe how awesome it feels to not only receive this kind of grace but to extend it to others as well. There is no offense so great or pain from that offense so great that His love, mercy, and grace cannot cover. (1 Peter 4:8)
Sitting at His feet,
Valarie
