“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:27-28
We have all experienced spiritual markers in our lives, those moments when God spoke in unmistakable ways to get our attention. One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a believer was the power of forgiveness. It came through a bitter experience I had with a close family member. I cried to the Lord, “Why,” and He answered, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
After much prayer, my husband and I felt the Lord was leading us to pursue a different path than the one this person wanted for us. He proceeded to write long typewritten letters of abuse and condemnation stating that God would punish us for the course we were on. Any attempts I made to defend myself were met with further letters of condemnation.
One day, as I was sitting in my kitchen, I spread the letters, mostly unopened, on the table and said a simple prayer. “Lord, what am I going to do about these letters?” The Lord spoke to me through His word. I remembered a verse my mother taught me many years before, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you,” Luke 6:27-28. I wasn’t sure I liked that verse and wondered if God had another for me! Love, do good, bless and pray for my enemy? I knew in my heart the Lord was speaking to me and I had better do it! I knew I had to surrender and take a step of faith, or refuse and go backward! I began to think of ways to “bless” him. I could send cards on holidays with a blessing tucked inside! I could certainly pray for him!
That day, I chose to forgive my offender. It started a process of forgiveness, it didn’t happen overnight! When the Lord says in Matthew 18:21-22 to forgive a brother 77 times, or 70 x 7, depending on your Bible translation, it might take that long to work through the process. Don’t get discouraged! There were days when I felt the old anger coming back, but the Lord gave me the strength to forgive again. One day, I realized the anger was gone! I began to see my offender as a sinner saved by grace and knew God had healed me! I never got reconciliation, my offender never thought he did anything wrong, but I got peace! You see, you forgive for yourself! An unforgiving spirit is a heavy burden to carry!
The alternatives to forgiving, are bitterness, anger and resentment and they form bars of a prison. The apostle Peter tells us to forgive is one of the “callings” of the Christian, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing,” 1 Peter 3:9. The process of forgiveness became an important spiritual marker in my life. It was one of the most difficult journeys I ever took, but the most rewarding.
The Holy Spirit will give exactly what is needed to transform a bitter, angry person into a gentle, forgiving servant the Lord can use. His grace is sufficient for every need! “Do not take revenge….If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21.
So dear ones, forgive as God forgave you and let us live the blessed life!
Your friend, Jean