I wanted to do a little series of simple thoughts around some of
what I have seen as some of the most overused words in our faith today.
What I do want to make clear is I truly believe in each of the words, the concepts they convey,
and the life change they can bring.
My observation though is that many have become christian catch phrases on the altar of cool.
And because they have the can lose the power they should have they for each of us.
Let's start with a personal 'favourite' of mine...and I say that a little tongue in cheek.
Being a human means you are predestined to be around others of your kind.
When it is going well it is a truly a rewarding place to be.
When it is not, life can get a little uncomfortable!
The reality is that as humans we are good together and bad sometimes.
We do lots of good for each other and also have the propensity of being able to hurt one another, either on purpose or by mistake.
And that is where this first over used word of our faith gets thrown around.
When hurt has occurred by us or to us...
Forgiveness.
Can I just say this from personal experience?
I love forgiveness. It is the most freeing thing that can ever happen to you!
When I have made mistakes and seek it out, when it is given to me, man what a feeling.
Guilt, burden, disappointment are all gone. It is a freeing word!
The opposite is true. When I withhold forgiveness for whatever reason and whatever length of time, once the period of self justification ends, I am left tapped in my unforgiveness.
Many years a go I had issues with a leader. He lead a group of people away from the Church I was attending.
For many years I couldn't say a good thing about them.
I wasn't doing a campaign against them on social media because the internet had not been invented, but that didn't stop me sharing my self justified opinions of them to whoever asked.
One God tapped me on the should via a prophetic word from a good friend.
Told me I needed to forgive them. I was shocked as they had done the wrong. So armed with that 'word' I drove over 100kms to seek their forgiveness.
They were shocked I would do that.
We had lunch together.
We prayed.
We are all good now.
That is the power of that over used word.
When you don't just talk about or expect it from everyone except yourself.
Forgiveness will change your world. Set you free...
Christians love talking about forgiveness.
But I also see a growing number simply unwilling to go from saying it to doing it.
Please don't just be about giving lip services to this powerful, grace filled word of our faith.
When is too far? When don't I have to forgive?
I can not find a single example where God doesn't ask us to forgive.
He doesn't ask us to be best friends with whoever hurt us, but He does ask us to follow His example and forgive even when it is the hardest to do so.
You didn't deserve God's forgiveness.
And yet He gave it to you through Jesus His son...
Something to think about...
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