Make Allowance (part 2)

I was relieved today to find that yesterday’s devotional has a part two:

C.S. Lewis said, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”  Author Mac Anderson writes: “A few times in my life I’ve been wronged.  My first reaction….was anger and resentment.  I….felt my stomach tie up in knots, my appetite wane, and the joy slip out of my life….like I’d played the first half of a basketball game in steel shoes.  In the locker room the coach said, ‘Try these new Nikes in the second half.’  Multiply that by ten and you’ll understand how it feels to unload your emotional baggage through the power of forgiveness.”  Jesus debunked the myth that love is based on feelings.  It’s an act of your will, and if you love God you’ll keep His commandments.  It’s that simple.  If you’re struggling to forgive someone who’s hurt you, here are some scriptural guidelines to help you:

Don’t seek retribution.  Instead, “Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).  God said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19).

Don’t rush to judgment.  That’s not always easy when you’re the injured party, but the ultimate Judge said, “With what judgment you judge, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:2 NKJV).

Make things right.  Jesus said, “Be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24 NIV). Don’t wait for the other person to make the first move, you do it.  Paul says, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men” (Hebrews 12:14 NIV).

Pray for the offender.  As much as it goes against your grain, when you “pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28 NIV).  God gives you the grace to forgive and see them through His eyes.

As our friend Mitch, who we are visiting, said, “When we find ourselves in a place where forgiveness is required, we can picture God smiling and saying, ‘Now I have you right where I want you.  I’ve commanded you to forgive and I know that you can’t do it in your own human strength, so now, if you truly love me and want to obey me, your first move will be to come to me to ask for help in this healing endeavor of forgiveness.  I am the only One who can help you to truly forgive.’” 

At the very least, three things happen when we ask God for help:  our faith and relationship with God grows and strengthens because we have cried out to Him for help; our hearts and relationships are healed; and our joy returns.

The longer we put off forgiving, the more accustom we become to living without joy in our life and the harder it is to come to God with our need for His help in forgiving.  At this point, our prayer must start with, “Oh God, help me to allow You to help me.”