“But, how can I forgive them for THAT?” I have had to respond to that question hundreds of times since I became a Christian at the age of nineteen. As I have ministered to people the “THAT” has ranged from things such as adultery, rape, child molestation, murder, abandonment, various forms of abuse, and many other things that seem unforgivable. Can I be honest? As I hear these stories I find myself asking at times, “Lord, would I be able to forgive someone who did that to me or my loved ones?” I pray that the answer would be yes.
I preached a message this past weekend on forgiving others who have hurt us in the past. As someone who was molested by my grandfather as a child, I know all too well what it means to have to forgive someone who has done “unforgivable” things. I remember sitting across from my grandfather as my family and I were about to relocate to New Orleans in 2009. I felt compelled to to tell him that I had forgiven him for what he had done to me when I was a child. He was not receptive, but I forgave him nonetheless. You see, I learned early on in my journey as a Christ follower that because I had been forgiven much by the Lord, I must also forgive much. By forgiving I experienced a new found level of peace and it was as if an extreme weight had been lifted from my life.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colossae:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
The truth is, I did not deserve Christ’s forgiveness as a 19-year-old young man who had broken the law, battled addictions, lied, and did all sorts of “bad things.” Neither did those who mocked, beat, ridiculed, and crucified Jesus Christ. BUT, as Jesus hung on that cross paying the price for the sins of all mankind he uttered these words, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” Forgiveness is what heals a broken heart, a broken spirit, broken relationships, and a broken life.
I have been following the story of Jessica Chambers, a 19-year-old girl who was murdered this past week outside Memphis, Tennessee.
Jessica was doused with some type of accelerant and set on fire. The report says that her attacker(s) poured accelerant in her nose and throat before setting her on fire. A horrible and unthinkable tragedy. She was transported to the hospital alive where she died shortly after. My heart ached as I read what little details had been shared with the public. Then today I came across a live interview with Jessica’s Grandmother. In the interview the Grandmother stated that while many people are saying that they hope the murderer(s) “burn in Hell,” she does not wish Hell on anyone. She went on to say that she just wants the person(s) responsible to turn themselves in, and that she HAD FORGIVEN THEM! I was astounded as I watched the interview. What a powerful expression of forgiveness for such a heinous act committed against a loved one. You can see the video interview by CLICKING HERE. I have a 22-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old daughter and I cannot imagine the strength it takes to forgive under those circumstances. BUT, if she can forgive…you and I can forgive.
Life is filled with tragedy, disappointments, hurts, and offenses. We all are faced with the decision of whether we will forgive or not when those things happen. This is what I know…when we fail to forgive and we harbor bitterness it is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Unforgiveness does not hurt the person you hold the resentment towards, but rather it hurts you and I. Forgiving does not mean forgetting, and it certainly does not negate the consequences of one’s actions. It is releasing the offender from having control over your life and emotions so that the Lord can bring healing in each and every situation. There is power in forgiveness, and the greatest power ever demonstrated was explained in the letter written to the Romans by the Apostle Paul when he said, “But God demonstrated his love for us in this, while we were STILL SINNERS Christ died for us.” Jesus forgave us when we were “unforgivable.”
My prayer today is that we all learn how to forgive much since we have been forgiven much.
-Pastor C
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