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July 8, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Forgiveness?, by Ron Rose
She came in complaining about my sermons always being about forgiveness
and grace ... I needed to come down harder on the sinners and in her
words, "nail them."
After her rant, I asked, "So, you've got forgiveness and grace all
worked out in your own life?"
"Well, Ron, there are some things you can't turn loose of, things that
don't deserve grace, or forgiveness. That's just the way it is. I know
it's that way in my family."
She leaned over my desk and revealed a heart hardened by resentment and
bitterness, "No, forgiveness is not an option. I've been hurt too
much."
The grudge was too embedded. And her spiritual life was powerless and
trapped in the wilderness. Lack of forgiveness had turned in a
critical, spirit of judgment.
She wanted me to make everyone else as miserable as she was ... as long
as she was in charge, of course.
A year later she left the church ... looking for harder preaching.
On the other side of her story is Reginald Denny. Remember him?
Forgiveness doesn't make sense!
Years ago, Reginald Denny drove his truck into the riots of South
Central Los Angeles and the video cameras captured every detail of two
men smashing his truck window with a brick, hauling him from the cab
and beating him with a broken bottle and kicking him until the side of
his face was caved in.
Then at the trial, in spite of protests from his own lawyers, Denny
walked over to the mothers of the two defendants, hugged them and told
them he forgave them. The mothers responded with hugs and tears.
How could he do that? One commentator stated, "Well you know, Denny did
suffer some brain damage."
Forgiveness doesn't make sense: sometimes it just seems like nothing is
more important than hanging on to the grudge ... sometimes "turning
loose" is nothing but a slogan. But, then God steps in and a miracle
happens ... Turning loose becomes an experience.
Don't forget three basics:
1. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you condone what was done.
2. Forgiveness doesn't depend on the other person's apology ... it's
the experience of finding inner peace.
3. Forgiveness is a gift for you ... by offering it, your life is no
longer controlled by what someone else has done. The weight of hurt
and resentment and bitterness are released and you are finally
free.
God has forgiven ... so what are you going to do?
---------
(c) 2008 FaithFitness and Ron Rose <ron@faithfitness.net>.
RELATED LINKS:
* The Freshness of Forgiveness
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200612/20061229_freshforgiveness.html
* Forgive Them
articles/200807/20080707_forgivethem.html
* The Efficiency Expert
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200005/20000525_efficiency.html
* Faith Fitness
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200807/20080708_forgiveness.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JESUS: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING, by Brian McLaren
Unafraid of controversy or the uncomfortable gray areas of life,
McLaren's quest is to find the essential message of Jesus' life - even
if it overturns our conventional ideas, priorities, and practices.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?253
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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