Forgiveness is something that isn’t easy to comprehend.
We live in a world where it is common for people who have been wronged to seek revenge, to hold grudges, and to slander those who have hurt them. We see this in our everyday life. It seems like it is the way to justice in our world.
Forgiveness is something that isn’t easy to do.
We ask “Why would I WANT to forgive?” “Why SHOULD I forgive?” We tell ourselves “They aren’t sorry for what they did.” “They deserve a payback.” “They sure don’t deserve my forgiveness.” It seems like it is the way to justice in our mind.
Forgiveness isn’t something that is looked upon with respect and integrity in today’s world.
We don’t want to look like a fool to the world because we were weak and forgave someone a wrong. It seems like it is the way to justice in our heart.
I truly didn’t comprehend forgiveness for many years of my life. It didn’t make sense to let someone off so easily. Why did I have to be hurt and then be the one to turn around and let them off the hook. No consequences? No suffering on their part?
Life lessons came my way and as they say “With age comes wisdom.” That could not be a more accurate statement. When I found myself being the one who wronged someone, I found myself being the one in need of forgiveness. When the shoe ends up on the other foot, it’s much easier to see things in perspective.
Those lessons became more apparent when I became a mother of three and wanted to give my children forgiveness when they truly didn’t deserve it. There became a better understanding in my mind of why God truly wants to, and can easily, forgive us. It’s love. My heart broke when my child was guilty and heartbroken about something. My heart broke when my child was stubborn and didn’t want to apologize. My heart broke because my child was struggling. By giving forgiveness I could easily fix the problem at hand. It was easier for me to pick my child up, love on them in spite of what they had done so they knew there was nothing that could separate them from my love and care and, in turn, trust was built and lessons were learned on their part about how to handle mistakes.
We have an opportunity to teach the younger generations about forgiveness. True Godly forgiveness. The kind of forgiveness that He demands that we offer those who have wronged us. Let’s don’t wait until they struggle through half of life to learn it for themselves. We have the knowledge and the understanding of forgiveness. Let’s teach them now to adapt that loving forgiveness that truly exemplifies Christ in their life.
Forgiveness ends up being something we CAN comprehend.
Digging deep into the Word and understanding God’s nature and His forgiving love for us increases our comprehension of forgiveness and, in turn, transforms us into His forgiving nature. We realize the way to justice isn’t in our hands the way the world would like us to believe.
Forgiveness ends up being something that IS easy to do.
Our own mistakes that lead us to the foot of the cross begging for forgiveness, knowing we don’t deserve it, but yet receiving it so freely from Him helps us comprehend what a beautiful gift it is and we understand the necessity of giving that gift to others. We realize the way to justice we thought we had figured out in our mind was actually planned out long ago by our God and is more beautiful and freeing than ever imagined.
Forgiveness IS looked upon with respect and integrity…by God.
Our desire should be to please Him, not the world. We should not worry what the world thinks of us if we forgive others who don’t deserve it. When we forgive as God has designed, we begin to let pride go, we let our hearts be molded by Him and we are trust Him with justice in this world. We realize that the way to justice hadn’t been properly placed in our hearts because our hearts had been darkened by this world.
We all fail Him daily.
The purpose is to strive to live like Him everyday… and if we fail, we let Him pick us back up and then we continue to strive. Those failures strengthen us! When the One we disappoint with our failures is the one who picks us up and loves on us in spite of what we’ve done, we are less likely to fail next time.
I want to encourage you to be a shining example of forgiveness to the younger generations and to share the art of forgiveness through your own stories and life experiences. Let’s not make them go through the anger and turmoil that comes with conflict with others when we can educate them and make their walk easier and lighter. Communication is key. TALK.
Psalm 103:12 – “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us”
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”
Matthew 6:14-15 – “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”
Romans 12:17 – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all”
Colossians 3:13 – “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”
Mark 11:25 – “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses”
Melissa Thompson
Melissa has been married for almost 35 years to her husband, Jeff, and has a close-knit family that loves the Lord. Jamie and her husband, Steve, live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, with their three children - Oaklyn, Isla, and Luca. Kaylee and James live in Washington, Oklahoma, with their three children - Adelynn, Brynlee, and Caden. Justin and Sarah also live in Washington, Oklahoma, with their daughter - Mia. Those seven grandchildren are truly some of God's greatest blessings for Melissa and Jeff. Melissa has worked for a local school day photography company for over 25 years as a business manager and owns her own yearbook sales company. Melissa is passionate about the younger generation, knowing that it is the future of the Lord’s church. Because of that passion, she has spent many years counseling and teaching at different church camps. She also started the Oklahoma E.W.E.S. Camp for young Christian women, which she directed for ten years, and has recently passed the reins over to another director. Over the past 5 years, Melissa has worked with her husband alongside the college minister of Sooner Servants at Westside Church of Christ in Norman to encourage, teach, and help grow the faith of the college students passing through during their years in Norman.
