I've been hurt recently, and I am trying to forgive – 70 times 7 and all that. Sometimes the hurt is hard to let go though; there’s power in it. Maybe that’s why Jesus told us to keep forgiving so many times. Early the other morning, before I absolutely had to get out of bed to get to work, I was channel-surfing through the infomercials and numerous religious programming and stopped on one show hosted by James and Betty Robison. I usually find them to be pretty on-target people. Beth Moore was speaking this particular morning about forgiveness; about healing from the wounds and hurts so we actually can forgive! And she talked about how important it is to lay it all before Jesus; to spill your guts, as it were, in order for Him to be able to begin healing us. I liked what she said that it’s OK to be a tattletale to Jesus. I need to tell Him where it hurts and He wants to heal that up. Too often I “debrief” to my husband, and he’s a great listener (and I love him for it), but he can’t heal me the way Jesus can.
So I continue to take it to the Lord and dump it at his feet. And I continue to try to forgive. 70 times 7 is a lot.
Once a year ... REALLY?!?!
11 years ago
3 comments:
I think that knowing what a real and deep hurt can feel like and accomplish in this life can be good thing. Knowing that it can be for both good or evil is enlightening. I have never experienced much power in hurt though. Hurt cripples and paralyzes me. For that matter, when I know that I have hurt someone I love, I see the same thing in him or her. Disappointment, sadness, anger...then there are so many things that can come up and out of those emotions. For a long time my prayers have been for the help to forgive those who have hurt me not wanting or needing an apology or ever wanting to talk. Now I pray that the strength to forgive me will find those that I love and have hurt. I pray that God will open a door for them and that they will walk courageously through it and find me in the right frame of mind and spirit to accept and share truth. Even that hurts sometimes. I have hurt people as many times as I have been hurt- more no doubt . Seeing that helps me to think differently. 7x70= 490. Although it is a lot-it’s not too many if the result is a true and honest form of shared acceptance and love from someone you have hurt maybe as many as ??? times. I find this kind of forgiveness very humbling. God’s grace extended to us in yet another form.
Lydia
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