I normally start my days by checking my cell phone for the letest news on Yahoo, stock updates, daily devotional on YouVersion, emails, etc.. when I came across this story (see link below) related to the latest school shooting in Ohio. Occassionally these stories make headlines where something dramatic happens such as this and the victim forgives the aggressor. I take notice and am somewhat touched by these stories I would have to say that in a day or two I have completely forgotten and moved on with my life. When I read this article, two scriptures immediately came to mind, James 1:21-24 and Matthew 6:15.
Immediately I began to reflect over situations in my life where I had held onto unforgiveness and bitterness for years over past hurts and this woman addressed it right away! This woman lost her son to murder and to take a quote from the story "I taught Demetrius not to live in the past, to live in today and forgiveness is divine. You have to forgive everything. God's grace is new each and every day," she said. "Until you've walked in another person's shoes, you don't know what made him come to this point."
We all carry around hurts in our lives. For me, and even my wife, we have come to realize that we are still carrying around hurt from our past that was spilling out in our conversations about the ones who hurt us. I can't even begin to tell you how many times we would go over the same stories from our past about how we were neglected, abused, abandoned, rejected, etc.. Although we have forgiven instances of hurt and pain we still neglected the big picture and take the WHOLE jumbled up, ugly, dark, bitter and acidic mess and give it God and scream "I AM DONE WITH THIS!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND FORGIVE THEM!! I WANT TO BE FREE OF THIS FOREVER!!" By this weekend I am going to spend some time with God and do just that. Forgiveness.
You now know a struggle from my life. I hope you can reflect on this, and most importantly God's word, of what forgiveness truly is. Oh, and don't think that forgiveness applies to only big things.
The bible itself is a wonderful book of forgiveness. Here are a couple of examples.
1) Matthew 18: 21-35
2) Acts 7: 53-60
3) Luke 23: 33-43
4) John 3: 14-21
May the Lord bless you and forgive you this day.
http://gma.yahoo.com/ohio-school-shooting-victims-parents-forgive-suspected-shooter-161435847--abc-news.html
I think forgiveness comes in stages. I agree this woman was very bold to openly forgive so quickly but also think she will find it resurfacing as her grieving continues. However, God will bless her willingness and she will most likely heal more completely without the bitterness getting in the way.
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