The High Call of Forgiveness

How God works always astonishes me.

Earlier this morning when I was reading one of Jesus' parables in Matthew 18, I began to contemplate the issue of forgiveness. That has always been a difficult concept and practice for me. I suspect it is because often in the Christian community you see the word and the concept spread about as though it were peanut butter. We spread it on everything, even the slightest indiscretion that may only require and apology - gets the benefit and strength of "forgiveness."

Anyway, after reading the passages in Matthew and then responding to my son's email, I found myself saying, "acceptance and forgiveness are things I find difficult to do."

Jesus' point in the parable of the "Unforgiving Servant" was basically this. God has forgiven us a tremendous debt - we in turn must forgive others - it is not an option, rather an imperative.  Something that issues from a realization of our own forgiveness.

Does forgiveness mean we forget?  Not unless we are god-like.

Does forgiveness mean we loose the emotion involved in the wrong? It is unlikely unless we are in a state of denial.

Does forgiveness mean everything will be okay from the day we forgive and forward?  I doubt it.

Does forgiveness mean once it is done, that wrong or any wrong related to people in interaction with one another will never surface again? Of course not.

Forgiveness is hard. No doubt. Releasing people from the debt we think they owe us will never be an easy exercise. Dare we think it was "easy" for God? I should hope not, it cost Him dearly. And our debt was real.

I need to be able to forgive. Not doing so carries a burden that extracts its daily toll. It brings its own special curse. It clouds the eye and clogs the heart.

Father, I am learning, yet I still find it hard to forgive. Allow me to dwell in the joy of Your amazing forgiveness in light of my seemingly insurmountable debt of sin. From that, may forgiveness of others come freely and without restriction.