Over the past several years I have spoken on forgiveness multiple times to a variety of different groups of people. Sermons, lessons for students, and talking one on one with multiple individuals. Every-time I have spoken on forgiveness it has struck a nerve with many, many, people. Something that we all face living in a fallen, broken, sin-satured world, is deep hurt and pain. Sometimes these hurts are the result of our own choices that we have made. Sometimes these hurts are just things that happen and no one is really at blame. However, sometimes these deeps hurts and pains have been directly caused by another person. Needless to say, we have all been hurt by people, and as a result we all need to forgive. As I have been talking about forgiveness I have come to the realization that many people, followers of Jesus, have struggled deeply with forgiveness and many have not been able to get to the place of forgiving others.
A couple years ago I asked on facebook if people have had a situation happen to them where they have yet to grant forgiveness. A number of people responded to me, sharing heartbreaking stories of deep pain and hurt, and also shared with me how long they have been unable to grant forgiveness. Here are a few of the responses I got. 1 Year, 5 years, 9 years, 11 years, 13, years, 13, years, someone in their late twenties said a lifetime, and one individual shared that they had been struggling to forgive someone for 30 years. It is safe to assume that many, many, follower of Jesus struggle with forgiving others.
So why am I beginning a series on forgiveness? For several reasons. First, it has been an area of struggle and process for me. Secondly, it is an area where many, many Jesus followers struggle. Thirdly, there seems to be much confusion about what Biblical forgiveness is. Fourthly, Scripture is extremely clear on the necessity for Jesus followers to forgive others. Matthew 5:14-15, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 18:35, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." The need of Jesus followers to forgive is as clear as can be.
I would love to hear your stories, and how God is working on you when it comes to forgiveness. The next part of the series will share my struggles, failures, battles, and victories that have been ongoing when it comes to forgiveness. Praying that God might use this to draw us all nearer to Him.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Faith Like A Child- With you I can.
In the craziness of day to day life with four little one's running, pooping, peeing, laughing, dancing, playing, crying, eating, hugging, kissing, and loving it is easy to miss the lessons that God is trying to teach me through our kids! In Matthew 18 Jesus tells us that unless we change and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whenever Anaya (our 18 month old) is around a person she does not no very well, her first reaction is fear, even when they are down on their knees excitedly calling her to come and see them! Often times she will purposely back away from the person, or take the long way around in order to avoid them, as she searches for someone familiar and safe. Once she finds Heidi or I she comes over and puts her hands up and in the way only an adorable 18 month old can, she says, "up, up, up, up." So we lift her up, and as we begin to walk with her towards the person while a little shyness might still exist, she is no longer backing up, and trying to get away from the new person. While holding her we ask her to say hi to the person, and give a high five, and a fist bump, and as she is safely in our arms she excitedly engages with the person who originally made her run away in fear! What an incredible picture that paints for us as followers of Jesus!
Matthew 28:18-20 comes to mind, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." What an incredible command and charge we have been given as followers of Jesus. We have been commanded to make disciples as we are going about life. At work, at home, at church, at the grocery store, on mission trips, in school, at the health club, in our clubs and committee's, we are called to make disciples! That is a big task, and if we are honest, often times a daunting task as we quickly begin to think of all of our inadequacies, doubts, fears, and insecurities. However, if we remember the last part of Matthew 28:20 we should have the courage to go forth in doing what God has called us to do. "And surely I (the "I" referring to Jesus, the one who has ALL authority in heaven and on earth) am with you always, to the very end of the age."
While living a life of Gospel intentionality focused on creating disciples as we go about is a daunting, and sometimes scary task, we can go forth in faith trusting the promise that the one who has ALL authority will be with us! What an incredible promise. So the next time we become fearful in doing what God has called us to do, may we remind ourselves who it is that is with us! May we, like a child, overcome fear knowing that the one who is with us is trustworthy and faithful and go where God is leading us!
Whenever Anaya (our 18 month old) is around a person she does not no very well, her first reaction is fear, even when they are down on their knees excitedly calling her to come and see them! Often times she will purposely back away from the person, or take the long way around in order to avoid them, as she searches for someone familiar and safe. Once she finds Heidi or I she comes over and puts her hands up and in the way only an adorable 18 month old can, she says, "up, up, up, up." So we lift her up, and as we begin to walk with her towards the person while a little shyness might still exist, she is no longer backing up, and trying to get away from the new person. While holding her we ask her to say hi to the person, and give a high five, and a fist bump, and as she is safely in our arms she excitedly engages with the person who originally made her run away in fear! What an incredible picture that paints for us as followers of Jesus!
Matthew 28:18-20 comes to mind, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." What an incredible command and charge we have been given as followers of Jesus. We have been commanded to make disciples as we are going about life. At work, at home, at church, at the grocery store, on mission trips, in school, at the health club, in our clubs and committee's, we are called to make disciples! That is a big task, and if we are honest, often times a daunting task as we quickly begin to think of all of our inadequacies, doubts, fears, and insecurities. However, if we remember the last part of Matthew 28:20 we should have the courage to go forth in doing what God has called us to do. "And surely I (the "I" referring to Jesus, the one who has ALL authority in heaven and on earth) am with you always, to the very end of the age."
While living a life of Gospel intentionality focused on creating disciples as we go about is a daunting, and sometimes scary task, we can go forth in faith trusting the promise that the one who has ALL authority will be with us! What an incredible promise. So the next time we become fearful in doing what God has called us to do, may we remind ourselves who it is that is with us! May we, like a child, overcome fear knowing that the one who is with us is trustworthy and faithful and go where God is leading us!
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