Forgiveness

This is a tough topic merely because we are allowing to layside all done wrongs, no matter how much hurt those wrongs have brought on us. I was out to breakfast with a friend this morning discussing the topics of forgiveness and reconciliation and the matters of my heart. And what puzzled me the most is the fact that my heart is so far off from Christ's when it comes to forgiveness. Here Christ was dying on the cross, being beaten by these men and he yells out to God, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!". Here Christ is asking forgiveness on the men who are nailing him on the cross and slashing him with thorns. It was not about Christ in that moment, it never really is...it was about the actions and conscience of those men, it was about loving those men despite any of their harmful ways.

C.S. Lewis states that to be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. So forgiveness is accepting the apology and never holding anything against the other again for that act. Sometmes I feel forgiveness means accepting that what was done was really not wrong at all, and that is where I stumble. But looking back, how many times have I done things wrong and sometimes the same things over and over and have asked God for forgiveness on my sins. It is not that He made right what I made wrong it is that He chose to not hold that sin against how He sees me and how He will love me.

It all comes down to the matter of my heart; to be less concerned about my feelings, because those will be restored, and to be more concerned that I am able to love that person unconditionally. True forgiveness is a selfless act.

When I am caught with the struggle of forgiving someone I just need to remind myself of who I am like Paul did when he proclaimed himself the "chief of sinners"...I am the "chief of sinners", yet He still forgives me....