Forgiveness

Personally, I love God because of what He has shown me through forgiveness.  As I go through today’s AMI devo, I’m thinking back on the times when I experienced victory and healing in those relationships with my friends and family that were once broken.   

Between my younger brother and me, there was once this obsessive need to be ‘better’ than the other.  Everything about our lives was up for comparison: how good we were at sports, how studious we were, how many friends we had, how we dressed, how we looked, and even how much we rebelled against our parents (in other words, who was ‘better’ at rebelling against them); the list can go on and on.  In the midst of this ‘competition’, we inflicted a lot of hurt towards each other (and indirectly towards our parents) through our words and actions.  Our first step towards healing was about 8 years ago (I think?) when my brother texted me, apologizing to me for all the trouble he caused.  Now, we’re really good; we help each other through our life crises, and he gives me advice for my job search as my unofficial career counselor. 

I also think about my college friends when I think about forgiveness.  Through my freshman year and most of my sophomore year, I hated them for the most part (for reasons I won’t share here).  God had to do a lot of work in my heart in order to soften it and bring it to a place of forgiveness.  I could sense more and more of that change within me with each passing 'hello' as I awkwardly ran into them in between classes.  Eventually, I came around to apologizing and rebuilding those bridges between me and them.  Six years later, the very same people who I once hated are now not only my best friends but also my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.  Cray.

Forgiveness is an impossibly huge pill to swallow, and I’ve learned that it’s not something I can accomplish on my own.  God works on my heart and the hearts of others to make it happen.  God, thank you for the strength and wisdom that you give me in order to experience victory in a special way.  Just as you have shown such grace to me personally, continue to be that perfect example of grace in my life.

Ephesians 4:29-32

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.