If
you’ve ever visited us at First Christian, you know that there is a simple
question I ask the audience weekly, “How many real people came to
church?” The response is predictable – loud hoots and hollers! So, I just keep
asking.
I
have found that there are three prayers the Lord always answers in the
affirmative in my life and ministry: “Lord, would you please encourage me?” “Lord,
please lead me to someone hurting.” “Lord, help us reach real people.” For
those wondering, ‘real people’ are simply those aware of and honest about their
needs and challenges – those courageous enough to trust God to heal and help
them. At FCC we have plenty of them!
This
past week, several of these treasured friends shared with me honestly and with
great transparency a herculean obstacle in their paths – forgiveness. As I
looked at each face, I began to rewind their stories in my mind. Some had been
severely abused and neglected. Some were the victims of violent acts. Some were
battered verbally, still hemorrhaging emotionally from the cruel careless words
of others.
Contrary
to some beliefs, I believe that you can teach an old dog new tricks! As I
listened to their struggle to forgive their predators, I thought about how the younger
version of me as a man and minister would have responded in a far different
way. As a younger less-experienced man, I would have been much quicker to be
pragmatic – throw them a few pertinent verses – maybe a well-worn cliché about
forgiveness – then move on. Yet, the current version of me listened. I listened
to their anger and resentment. I listened to their hesitations about finally cutting
the proverbial line – and letting their tormenters swim away. Real life and
grey hair reminded me of the many times I needed to forgive and needed to be
forgiven.
I
reminded them, as I do you (my reader) today, that God often calls us to do
difficult things – things that are fiercely opposed to our nature. He asks us to
not only forgive our enemies but to also pray for them and bless them. Why?
Because that is exactly what He did for us and modeled for us – even to those
who crucified Him.
Its
somehow comforting to know that Jesus’ apostles struggled with this whole forgiveness
thing also. In Luke 17:5, realizing the demand to forgive, ‘The apostles said
to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”’ This is too much Lord! You don’t know what
you’re asking us to do! We can’t do it! You’ve got to pour something more into
us in order for us to forgive – really forgive.
The
beauty is that God never asks us to do anything that He didn’t do first; and, that
with His personal help we cannot accomplish. In the natural we can’t do it; but
with a supernatural God in the loop – we can! It would be a cruel father who would
ask his children to do something impossible. Our Father is not a cruel father!
Instead, with intimacy, engagement and empowerment, He does it with us and
through us. It’s only in Christ that we can do all things.
Recently
I shared a good litmus test for identifying the ones we must forgive. Here it
is: If there is a person in your past, that if you heard they had become a Christian,
and, that they were now a totally different person – and that report made you bristle
with anger – that is the person you must forgive!
Friend,
if you’re one of those real people I mentioned struggling to forgive, let me
encourage you with a few things.
First,
forgiving is not about forgetting. You’ll most likely always remember what
someone else recklessly did in your life. However, with God and time, the pain
of that person’s actions will diminish.
Second,
forgiveness is a process. It takes time; but, it must start for your own
well-being.
Third,
forgiveness ultimately helps you and enables you to walk in true freedom.
Lastly,
forgiveness honors God and models His life and reality here on earth.
The
good news is that Jesus went on to say in Luke that if you have just seed-sized
faith, you can do the most challenging things the authentic Christian life
requires. So, when it comes to forgiveness…
You
can do it.
For
your sake, you must do it.
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