Forgiveness

During my morning prayer time, I spend some time asking God to forgive my sins. I also ask God to forgive those who may have wronged me in some way. As I was going through this ritual this morning, it dawned on me that I keep having the same people come to mind when I ask God to forgive others. It seems to me that I am having a hard time forgiving them myself. I ask God to forgive me of all the sins I have committed, and expect Him to wipe them away immediately. Why then, do I continually hold on to the trangressions of others against me? I should be able to ask God to forgive them, forgive them myself, and go on. What if God acted the same way as us? What if he made us over and over ask for forgiveness for the same act? Our sins would pile up so high and bury us so deep, we would be completely smothered!

When we ask God to forgive others who have wronged us, it should allow us to be freed from anger and hurt feelings that can shackle our joy. Author Kay Scott wrote "Forgiving others does not get them off the hook, it removes their hook from us." There is a freedom for our soul when we are able to let go of a hurt. In Matthew 18, Jesus tells Peter that we are to forgive people "seventy times seven." I think what Jesus was probably telling Peter is that oftentimes we have to work at the forgiveness thing. Sometimes it takes a while to get over a hurt. However, once you are able to let go, a certain freedom is felt, and a burden is lifted.

When I get to the forgivness part during my prayer time tomorrow morning, I am going to genuinely try and forgive some old hurts. If you have some too, won't you try and do the same? If I expect God to forgive me, I find it only fair that I should be expected to do the same.

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