A Forgiving Heart

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This lesson was a challenge for me.  I didn't know how to go about writing it.  During my morning walk a couple mornings, I prayed for God to give me guidance.  Often times something will come to mind while I am in prayer, but nothing did.  I continued to wrestle with this lesson even as I sat down to write it.  Then it came to me how appropriate it was that I was struggling with this topic.  Forgiveness is something we struggle with.  It doesn't come easy.  It feels like a battle of tug-of-war.

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"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."  Eph. 4:32 KJV

This is one of the first Bible verses I remember memorizing.  My sister called me "dumb or stupid," and I was reminded of Ephesians 4:32.  My brother broke my china teapot, and I was reminded of Ephesians 4:32.  My best friend played with someone besides me one day and left me out.  In tears I poured out my hurt to my mom, and she reminded me of Ephesians 4:32.

I can be sensitive.  At times I've absolutely been crushed by the tone of voice someone used or the way in which they said something.  I remember my mom telling me as a teenager, "You can't go around wearing your feelings on your shirt sleeves."  She was trying to help me deal with my hurt feelings, but her remark hurt my feelings too.  Then it hit me--She was right.  I had just done what she was talking about.  She was only trying to help, but I was choosing to dwell on my feelings rather then on the needed correction.

Sometimes I have been guilty of making an issue out of every small offense.  These are the things I need to let go.  Many times people mean nothing by what they say or do.  Sometimes humans just don't stop to think.  Their tone and actions can be influenced by something that happened previously in their day.  I have found myself in these situations, and I've had to apologize to others for my words or actions.  If I stumble in this area, then I have to be gracious enough to allow others some tolerance and love in times like this as well.  I must forgive the little things.   
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."  I Peter 4:8 
The little things can eat away at me.  It's the little things that I deal with on a daily basis.  I am learning to "let them go" and "let God" have them.  Join me!  As my Grandma used to say let's not spend time "making a mountain out of a mole hill."

Next week I will continue this post, and I'll be talking about forgiving the big things.  That's a hard one.  I've been through some rough stuff in the past six years.  It's one of the reasons, I haven't written on my blog as much.  There has been a lot to sort out...a lot to forgive. 

 How to forgive what seems to be unforgiveable?  Let's talk about it next time.






 


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