Reflections of Life

You may have heard or you may yourself have said at one time or another "I can't help it but I just can't forgive or forget what so and so did or said to me"...and you're right about part of that statement...YOU can't forgive. It's not in YOUR nature! Deep in the heart of the person who lacks the ability to forgive burns a flame of resentment, anger and bitterness that, left unchecked and unencumbered, can sour the heart and spirit make this life a miserable place to be. A heart with that kind of attitude cannot have true fellowship with a sinless God.

Forgiveness in it's purest form resides in the heart of God and can only be demonstrated by a heart attuned to His. We can overlook the mistakes of those we like when they hurt us, but when it's someone we don't like, someone uncaring and unsympathetic we tend to withhold that virtue that so easily eludes us...Anyone can love the lovely but it takes Divine love to love the unlovely.

Forgiveness is not a fruit that needs time to mature and ripen...forgiveness is an act of the will and is always unconditional. You may ask "You mean if someone has wronged me and hasn't asked for my forgiveness I'm just supposed to forgive them anyway?"...You certainly are.

What did Jesus pray to the Father after His cruel beating and humiliating, excruciating crucifixion? Did He say "Father I just can't forgive those who did this to me...Will you send fire from heaven and devour them all?" No, He said "Father FORGIVE them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) When the angry mob was stoning righteous Stephen to death did he cry out and beg for his deliverance and their condemnation? No, with his dying breath he cried "Father lay NOT this sin to their charge!" (Acts 7:60) Were those around the cross and those stoning Stephen asking for their forgiveness? Certainly not but they were granted that pardon not because they asked or deserved it but because the heart of the one that forgave had released ALL that would engender rage and bitterness to the care of the only One who could really, genuinely forgive and forget...our dear Lord.

Want your life back? Want joy, peace and loveliness fostered in a heart that can forgive others no matter what?...Get right with God. Reconciliation should be the goal of a life estranged from God and if we're truly reconciled to Him we MUST forgive others as He forgave us!

I'm praying that each of you have a wonderful evening in the Lord Jesus and a quiet rest in the arms of our sweet Lord!

Love you all! ❤