Forgiveness
FORGIVENESS. It's at the heart of the Good News. It's a topic we love
to talk *about*. And yet it's so hard to practice in reality.
Forgiveness is not the same as overlooking a fault. To overlook something is to choose in your mind to say it's just not a big deal -- "s'ka problem!" Forgiving, on the other hand, means it *is* a big deal and I *am* hurt, but...
Ah, that beautiful word, "but"...
In many cases conflict comes as a result of a misunderstanding ("Oh, is *that* what you meant?! I thought you meant ..."). When that is the case then when we have corrected the understanding then the issue is over. No forgiveness is necessary.
But when real offense has occurred, when real hurt has been inflicted ... that's when real forgiveness becomes necessary.
And being "proven" right or wrong in a given conflict largely becomes a side issue at that point... Once God breaks past my pride then whether I am right or whether I am wrong becomes unimportant. At that point the real heart-issue comes to the surface -- am I willing to forgive despite my hurt and pain or will I attempt to grasp every one of my rights ... to extract my "pound of flesh" that I think I deserve.
Jesus, as He was being tortured and killed on the cross, was NOT saying, "Oh, don't worry about that sin stuff -- no big deal. S'ka problem." Not at all, It was a *huge* deal. It *was* a problem. Our sin was/is real and deeply offended/offends a holy God. But on that cross he was choosing to forgive.
Forgiveness (as in the ultimate example above) implies taking the deserved punishment of another on yourself. When I am hurt by someone else he "deserves" (eye-for-eye) to be hurt back at least that badly. When I forgive instead I am saying that I will suffer the pain that another caused without any attempt to transfer that pain back to him. He deserves the pain. I choose to accept the pain myself.
It's a tall order. And I have no right to ask it of you.
But He does...
Forgiveness is not the same as overlooking a fault. To overlook something is to choose in your mind to say it's just not a big deal -- "s'ka problem!" Forgiving, on the other hand, means it *is* a big deal and I *am* hurt, but...
Ah, that beautiful word, "but"...
In many cases conflict comes as a result of a misunderstanding ("Oh, is *that* what you meant?! I thought you meant ..."). When that is the case then when we have corrected the understanding then the issue is over. No forgiveness is necessary.
But when real offense has occurred, when real hurt has been inflicted ... that's when real forgiveness becomes necessary.
And being "proven" right or wrong in a given conflict largely becomes a side issue at that point... Once God breaks past my pride then whether I am right or whether I am wrong becomes unimportant. At that point the real heart-issue comes to the surface -- am I willing to forgive despite my hurt and pain or will I attempt to grasp every one of my rights ... to extract my "pound of flesh" that I think I deserve.
Jesus, as He was being tortured and killed on the cross, was NOT saying, "Oh, don't worry about that sin stuff -- no big deal. S'ka problem." Not at all, It was a *huge* deal. It *was* a problem. Our sin was/is real and deeply offended/offends a holy God. But on that cross he was choosing to forgive.
Forgiveness (as in the ultimate example above) implies taking the deserved punishment of another on yourself. When I am hurt by someone else he "deserves" (eye-for-eye) to be hurt back at least that badly. When I forgive instead I am saying that I will suffer the pain that another caused without any attempt to transfer that pain back to him. He deserves the pain. I choose to accept the pain myself.
It's a tall order. And I have no right to ask it of you.
But He does...
Comments
Post a Comment
I am very happy you've chosen to leave a comment here. If it's not too much trouble I would really appreciate it if you would either sign in somehow or else identify yourself in your comments so I know who you are... (Not required but appreciated.) Thanks! -Peter