I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately because I made a gigantic mistake that ended up bringing pain into the life of someone I love beyond measure. The long and the short of it is--my mistake left my loved one feeling....forgotten, unloved and looked over.
Gosh, but those are feelings I know all too well. To realize I was the cause of someone else feeling this way, really made me think.
1. I did seek forgiveness from the one I had wronged. I was dismayed that the response didn't match the depth of my sadness over the event. My apology was not instantly accepted! I struggled to understand why the truth of my heart wasn't enough to change things. I imagine this is often how Jesus has felt in reverse. He is offering all that He is and, yet, so many of His beloved ignore the gift, or fail to understand how precious of a gift it is and simply turn it down remaining comfortable in their anger or grief.
2. I really had to give some thought to all of the people and situations that had left me feeling forgotten or unloved. I KNOW my recent situation and the truth is, my mistake had nothing to do with the other person--who I love more than my own life--it had everything to do with my own selfishness, my own weakness. How often does our own brokenness affect others? It really made me think with more compassion about those who I've felt had wronged me. Again, in my selfishness, I've only considered my feelings. Bearing with one another means, I must consider their story--I don't have to know it to consider that it is powerful; to offer compassion and understanding rather than jumping to the conclusion that "they're so mean, they hurt me......me, me, me!!"
Colossians 3:12-13: "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you forgive." Oh, what a world it would be if only we could master this!
I'll keep trying--will you join me?
Be Awesome, Jane
I got crafty with: Scribble Flowers and Words of Life, Collection 2
