Forgiveness, Forgiveness

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is a gift God gives us to give another. Sometimes we just don’t feel forgiving, but God can supply that feeling. The feeling is secondary, anyway. We don’t have to “feel like it” in order to obey any other commandment, why do we think we have to “feel” this one?

How did Corrie ten Boom come from hatred and bitterness to forgiveness? She tells of a time when she and her sister Betsie picked up pieces of wrecked airplanes and loaded them onto trucks. Because she was frail, Betsie picked up the smaller pieces. Suddenly one of the guards noticed. Betsie said kindly to the guard, “Please don’t give me more to do than I am trying to do

already, because I am not strong enough to lift these heavy parts.”

“You don’t decide what to do. I do,” the woman guard answered. With that she started beating Betsie. Other prisoners held Corrie back from grabbing the guard. Watching her sister get beaten was harder than getting a beating herself. Betsie urged her, “Don’t hate. Love and forgive.”

Corrie went off by herself. “I can’t forgive that brutal woman,” she prayed. The Lord reminded her of a text. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, RSV)

Suddenly Corrie had an insight. What she could not do, the Lord, in her, was able to do. (ten Boom, pp. 36-38.)

Giving forgiveness doesn’t always take away the hurt, the loneliness or the pain. It doesn’t always fix one’s reputation or put the missing money in the bank. Forgiveness puts the responsibility for taking vengeance, if any, on God. Romans 12:19 says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (NASB) When God takes revenge, He gives people what they need. He knows what’s behind a problem or behavior and works to correct it, rather than merely punishing just to be punishing.

At its most mature, forgiveness enables us to see that sinning human being as one of God’s beloved, mistaken children, one for whom Jesus died. Finally, it becomes possible to want that person to live a sanctified, forgiven life, and to join with God in His perfect kingdom of heaven.

Forgiveness allows us to take the action that will do the least harm possible to another. Forgiveness frees us from carrying the emotionally and physically damaging burden of bitterness. Forgiveness allows us to move forward focusing on important things that will build the people around us and ultimately God’s kingdom.