The Hope of Forgiveness

I often give thanks to God for the gift of forgiveness. Certainly, I am thankful when I am forgiven. But also the act of forgiving another can be extremely redemptive. I have seen the inability to forgive hurt someone tremendously. Like a millstone tied around their neck, they let the bitterness take hold, dragging them deeper and deeper to the depths of the abyss.

Thankfully, God’s grace has helped me along my own journey to not let things go too badly. The more we realize God’s grace and what a constant companion our Lord is, even the hurts inflicted on us by others can be met with a confidence of faith and hope that helps you to forgive and move on.

And yet, just recently, I was reminded of the need to forgive. I was with some friends, and we got talking about old times, reminiscing. And then someone brought up the name of a mutual acquaintance—someone who had done me a great wrong awhile back. Not only did they hurt me emotionally, they inflicted damage on something I cared deeply about. It was painful—a cross I took on as I tried to do God’s will, find my way back to wholeness and the love and acceptance of the Lord.

And God has been so faithful to me; the Lord has helped me to forgive, to move on, to heal, and to find peace—God’s shalom again.
But forgiveness is more of a journey than a destination. I’m not sure we are able to truly forgive as God does. And yet, the journey of forgiveness is both a redemptive and a healing one, and it’s best to get on down that road instead of linger at any one place.

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. -Matthew 18:20-22

77 times is a lot, but then I’ve heard it this way: If you are still counting the times you’ve forgiven someone, have you really forgiven them?

Forgiveness is a hard thing.
I say all this because I thought I had forgiven this person who had hurt me. Indeed, I have received much healing from God. At one point, I had to really devote a lot of energy and prayer time into forgiveness. Time has helped, but most of all, I’ve not come into contact with this person in a long time.

But then when the name was brought up again, especially with the chance of coming into close proximity with this person, my heart wrenched. I could feel my levels of anxiety rise, and I sought the comfort and aid of the Lord.

Perhaps I had back-peddled a bit on the journey to forgiveness, and I needed a little help to move on down the road.

It gave me a good dose of humility.

Here’s one of my favorite stories about forgiveness:

In the novel The Great Hunger, a newcomer comes to a farm community. He refuses all friendship with his neighbors and puts out the no trespassing sign. One day a little child from the town climbs underneath his fence to pet his dog. The vicious animal leaps on her and kills her.

Hostility spreads throughout the community. When the newcomer comes to town no one will speak to him. Clerks refuse to wait on him. Spring comes and the merchants refuse to sell him seed. Finally, the father of the girl who was killed comes over and sows his field. This act of kindness is too much for the insufferable newcomer.

“Why-you of all people?” he asks.

The father responds, “To keep God alive in my heart.”

The experience of forgiveness is basic to our spiritual health. It is the way that we keep God alive in our hearts.
 

I ask your prayers in helping me to forgive, and I shall pray for you as well. Though forgiveness is a hard thing, I can think of nothing at times that is more healing.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. –Matthew 6:12-15

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United’s website.