I have an offense to overlook and it's tough! This event left me
incredibly angry. As my anger has subsided, I've realized that I am
hurt, sad, confused, disappointed, and surprised at the offender!
When this first happened, I was so mad. I talked about it...at first,
my motive was to get it off my chest...but as I stayed angry and kept
talking about it, I became convicted of the bitterness in my heart. I
felt malice. I slandered the offender to others.
that advice for about 2 weeks...ignored the gentle but recognizable
reminders from the Lord of his Forgiveness, all the time. As time
passed, my heart softened. A friend told me a story of someone who was
recently offended, much greater than I (not that we're counting). She
told me about how this person is overlooking the offense and how they
are even reaching out to repair the damaged friendship. I've also begun
to notice, more than usual, instances where others are forgiving or
being forgiven. Last night, I found myself asking the Lord to clear my
heart of bitterness. I was asking for it with out even thinking. I did
not will myself to ask, nor had I given the situation much thought at
all yesterday. As I wrote down my thoughts and feelings in my journal,
asking the Lord to help me, my mind was flooded with realization of His
goodness. As I wrote, I remembered the love of my Savior for me. Love
so great that He died, a horrific, painful, death. He did it absolutely
selflessly, not just for me, but for the entire world. When I thought
about how angry I became over this one instance...when I was perturbed,
put off, aggravated...I felt a little silly, and it made it easier for
me to forgive and move on. I'm not quite there, yet, but I am closer
now than I was yesterday.
Thank you Lord, for blessing me. Thank you for helping me forgive, not
just because "it's the right thing to do" or because "the Bible says so"
but because you are the greatest example, and you did it! I pray that
you would bless the girls reading this. Girls who I care about. Girls
I love. Girls I don't even know. You know them, Lord, and you love
them. I pray that you would reveal bitterness in our hearts...stored up
anger - muck - that keeps us from fully focusing on you. Then let us
forgive and feel freedom from the oppression of that sin! Thank you,
Lord!
Going green,
-Andrea
incredibly angry. As my anger has subsided, I've realized that I am
hurt, sad, confused, disappointed, and surprised at the offender!
When this first happened, I was so mad. I talked about it...at first,
my motive was to get it off my chest...but as I stayed angry and kept
talking about it, I became convicted of the bitterness in my heart. I
felt malice. I slandered the offender to others.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, andThe Bible tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger. I ignored
give no opportunity to the devil. - Ephesians 4:26-27, ESV
that advice for about 2 weeks...ignored the gentle but recognizable
reminders from the Lord of his Forgiveness, all the time. As time
passed, my heart softened. A friend told me a story of someone who was
recently offended, much greater than I (not that we're counting). She
told me about how this person is overlooking the offense and how they
are even reaching out to repair the damaged friendship. I've also begun
to notice, more than usual, instances where others are forgiving or
being forgiven. Last night, I found myself asking the Lord to clear my
heart of bitterness. I was asking for it with out even thinking. I did
not will myself to ask, nor had I given the situation much thought at
all yesterday. As I wrote down my thoughts and feelings in my journal,
asking the Lord to help me, my mind was flooded with realization of His
goodness. As I wrote, I remembered the love of my Savior for me. Love
so great that He died, a horrific, painful, death. He did it absolutely
selflessly, not just for me, but for the entire world. When I thought
about how angry I became over this one instance...when I was perturbed,
put off, aggravated...I felt a little silly, and it made it easier for
me to forgive and move on. I'm not quite there, yet, but I am closer
now than I was yesterday.
Thank you Lord, for blessing me. Thank you for helping me forgive, not
just because "it's the right thing to do" or because "the Bible says so"
but because you are the greatest example, and you did it! I pray that
you would bless the girls reading this. Girls who I care about. Girls
I love. Girls I don't even know. You know them, Lord, and you love
them. I pray that you would reveal bitterness in our hearts...stored up
anger - muck - that keeps us from fully focusing on you. Then let us
forgive and feel freedom from the oppression of that sin! Thank you,
Lord!
Going green,
-Andrea
July 11, 2011 at 1:01 PM
So true. Best motivation to forgive, best catalyst for changing a heart--Jesus Christ on the Cross.