Forgiveness

I heard a good sermon this past week at North Park. It was about forgiveness. It got me thinking. I never realized I had trouble forgiving until the past few years. This was the quote that helped it finally "click" for me:

In His death Christ has paid for all sin- not only mine, but also that of the whole world- and that includes the sin that committed against me by my neighbour. The Gospel gives me a solid foundation not only for receiving forgiveness, but also for giving it. We can now forgive, knowing that our sense of justice has not been muzzled, but rather vindicated in the finished work of Christ.

Forgiveness is the choice to agree with God concerning what is due the one who has sinned against me. In the finished work of Christ I hear God say, 'It has been paid for.' To refuse to forgive is to choose to disagree with God, saying that the cross was not enough to deal with all sin.

From malcolmsmith.org

Recently I took the picture below, and on it, put the names of all of the people in my life I could think of who had hurt or wounded me in some way. All of the people who have either caused me pain, or sinned against me, or both. Then I crossed each name out, and put "PAID FOR, DEALT WITH, FORGIVEN" across it. Every sin has been paid for, and every pain carried by Jesus at the cross. As I recognize that truth, real healing and forgiveness is unavoidable. I'd share my worship art with you, but why bring up all the names and old hurts? They all were dealt with at the cross. Thank You Jesus!

As I went through it all, one thing became painfully clear: I can make a long list of wounds, minor and major, but as I think about all of the people I have met in my life, I realize that I have hurt, and treated people worse than I have been treated. I don't have anything to say about it, as I am still reeling from the realization. It probably shouldn't be such a surprise.

LORD thank you that you are changing me!