When is forgiveness fun and...not so fun?

Have you ever had fun forgiving someone?  I know, weird question.  

My fun forgiveness memory was when someone I ended up knowing ran into the back of my car on Tuscarawas st. in Canton.  I got out of the car, saw it was a past patient, we hugged, I looked at the car...looked at her, and said. “eh don’t worry about it.” She put her bumper in her trunk and we got out of there.  Forgiving her wasn’t that hard for me because my monte had 195000 miles on it and the extra cracks and dents didn’t really change the appearance that much. That time, forgiving was fun and easy.

Paul tells us to “examine ourselves” during this time.  In other words, look into our hearts and see if anything needs dealt with.  Perhaps one of your issues today is forgiveness.  Maybe the pain, betrayal, and sadness are just too great and feelings are too raw making forgiveness seem impossible.  If so, I want to remind you that Matthew 19:26 states, “With God All Things are Possible” and we are told in 2 Timothy 1:7 that the spirit God gave us gives us power, love, and self discipline.  We have the perfect example of Christ forgiving others when He was being crucified and he cried out in prayer, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing”

Another example can be taken from a modern day hero named Victor Marx.  Victor Marx goes after the source of sex traffickers in the US, has befriended juveniles who are at highest risk of crime, and now lives in Iraq where he runs an organization that rescues kids who have been orphaned and kidnapped.  Victor Marx attributes being able to be who he is today because he forgave two of the men who would do beyond terrible things to him as a kid.  His forgiveness of them allowed him to move on.  His terrible experiences; being able to endure different methods of torture, toughened him and have given him the ability to go places most would not even think of going.  Those experiences have made him better instead of bitter.  This is a very good representation of Romans 8:28- “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Communion is the perfect time to deal with the impossible feelings in your heart.  We are reminded that Christ makes the impossible possible. Sometimes learning to forgive is a process and takes time.  Hang on!  Keep coming to the cross.  Keep praying for help.   

Prayer:  Father, thank you for making the impossible possible through Christ.  Open our eyes and help us see how forgiving others will help us and those around us heel.  Give us the strength and courage to forgive and help those around us become better.