Forgiveness

I just heard from out IT company, who is/was fixing my computer, that it is, indeed, fixed. I will pick it up Friday from my office in DC...at which time, I will be able to post the pictures from Christmas...which I am so anxious to post. We have had a blast over the last few weeks with family and friends.

In the meantime, I wanted to write about Forgiveness...what a beautiful concept forgiveness can be...and how I have experienced forgiveness in my own life.

First, I am not well versed in the Bible, so much of what I believe has been either taught to me, or learned through personal experience. With that, I will say that I don't think I truly understood the concept of forgiveness until I became a Christian and felt the forgiveness and grace bestowed upon me by God. (Warning: this may become somewhat of a testimony) That type of forgiveness is pure, unconditional, and from the Creator Himself...I personally can't think of a better foundation for me to base the principle my belief in forgiveness on. Once I accepted Christ, I felt the weight of my sins lift away (really, it is so surreal). What an awesome feeling...to know that I, a sinner in its realest form, could be forgiven of my past, present and future discretions. Wow!

In that, and only in that, did I understand what it meant to forgive. God forgives us, not for our own personal gain, but for His Glory. So that we, as broken as we are, could be pure enough as Him, through Him. When I accepted that, I also accepted my personal responsibility to forgive others (ever read the Lord's Prayer?...probably the only Bible verse I know by heart). However, I must admit that my desire to forgive is not for the wrongdoer's own gain, but honestly in a self serving way (remember I am a sinner), for myself. So that I don't go through life being resentful for the pain I felt, for the anger I felt, for the questions I had, for the why me?'s...Instead, when I forgive, I let it all go and accept people and their behaviors for what they are...much of the way God let's our sins go and forgives us, just the way we are...I guess, in turn, I am returning the Grace that God has bestowed upon us all to everyone else, especially those who have hurt me the most.

Before I close this post, I want to offer an analogy...I heard this on the FIRST morning I EVER attended Sunday school class (this was actually before I technically prayed to accept Christ...so, I really needed to hear this)...The concept of forgiveness was brought up and this example was offered to explain how forgiveness can be applied:

A church recently discovers the church treasurer has been embezzling funds. What do you do? Do you ban this person from the church? Do you call the police? (The room was quiet as the church treasurer actually walked in the room at that exact moment...funny/ironic) One of the 'older' members of our class spoke something along these lines: "If a church treasurer is stealing from the church, in my opinion, they need the support of their church family more than they ever have before. So, we should forgive them and help them to turn away from and repent for their sins...we just don't make them the treasurer again." He continued on, "For two reasons mainly...One, as to not put yourself at risk again...and, two, so that they are not faced with the same temptations which they have already given in to."

I know a lot of people struggle with forgiveness, with letting go, with accepting the things you cannot change, with living your life free of anger and pain and resentment. I truly believe accepting forgiveness for yourself, and offering it to others, is such a wonderful thing.

Just keep in mind when forgiving someone...you just don't make them the treasurer again.

And that, in my opinion, is Forgiveness!