Every experience God gives us, every person that He puts into our lives, is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see.
- Corrie Ten Boom

Monday, July 23, 2012

Forgiveness

This was our Sunday School lesson this past week, for the 3rd and 4th graders I teach. It's one that a lot of adults struggle with, too. Some people will say that to forgive too soon, or too easily, or without being asked often means that the offending person won't learn anything from the event. Sometimes, that will probably happen, but most of the time, it doesn't. Why? Because most bad behavior is precipitated by wanting attention. At that point, they don't care whether it's good or bad attention, they just need someone to pay attention to them, to feel like they matter, that they exist. Sad, isn't it? That's not to say that is always the case, but it often is. Other bad behavior is an escape mechanism. My reality stinks, so I want to alter my perspective on it by using alcohol/drugs/sex/whatever to escape. Are there exceptions to these two things? Absolutely! But, the vast majority of bad behavior fits into one or both of those categories.

So, then, where and how does forgiveness come into it? Well, we know that we need to be forgiven, for all of the mistakes, mess ups, and sins we've committed. The Lord's prayer says, "Forgive us our debts/trespasses as we forgive our debtors/those who trespass against us." Ouch; forgive us as we forgive others. Sometimes, harboring hate towards someone else will eat at us, and make us feel like the one who messed up, and that's valid, because we then aren't following out God's will and we are creating a barrier between ourselves and God. 

Look for another blog post later this week, showing how that forgiving can turn a life around. :-) But, for now, I'll leave you this morning with a song from Tenth Avenue North entitled "Losing." 


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