Forgiving, for Real
I recently received a text attachment from a close friend and
sister in Christ entitled “Forgiving for Real” where Franciscan Anthony Zaccaria
is quoted:
“We ought to
pity and love our enemies rather than hate and detest them, for they heap up
evils upon themselves but deserve well of us; they provoke God’s anger against
themselves, but adorn us with the crown of eternal glory. We ought to pray for them; we should not be
overcome by evil.”
The beginning of Matthew Chapter 9 Jesus questions the evil in
the heart of Pharisees and asks which is easier, "forgive sins or say rise and
walk"? Later in the same chapter, Jesus
warns his disciples that He is sending them out as lambs among wolves. This prompted me further in scripture, to the
book of Mark, where friends lower a man through a roof. So, they get a man on a stretcher, which is
like dead weight, hoisting him up on a roof, proceed to dig a hole large enough to lower the
man still in the stretcher, to the feet of Jesus. I asked my friend, “What lengths do we go,
how determined are we to bring people to the feet of Jesus?” And, I’m just speaking about friends.
Never mind those we don’t know and do I dare go there? What about those we do not care for,
resent, maybe even hate? Those who hurt and bully
us? What
about our enemy?
Yesterday I left my work in a blind fury. I seriously
thought I was on the verge of snapping.
I sat in my car, praying for 10 minutes calming, before I turned out
unto the road. This was the second time
since the beginning of the school year I felt hatred for another. Hate, unless I’m talking about the devil….or
liver, this word rarely exists in my vocabulary. Early evening, I fell asleep listening to a
series of Psalms. Having confessed to God my
own lack of godliness in regards to how I expressed myself, albeit in an empty
classroom hours after the school day, I failed to give God glory. I’d been pushed to the end of a very long
suffering rope and did not seek security in the knot, my hope at the end,
Jesus. By 11:45 PM I knew I had to deal
with this before the “day’s end”.
Opening my prayer journal to the next blank page I printed names of those I vowed to pray specifically for.
No. Intercede on their behalf.
None have a relationship with God, all have bullied me and for each one
I’ve only offered up half-hearted prayers.
Only Jesus has the authority to forgive sins, but He commands us
to forgive sins against us. I had to ask
myself if I took forgiving people too lightly.
How often did I forgive from the heart, as a sacrifice surrendering my
hurt and pain? Is that why we find
loving the enemy so impossible, because we struggle forgiving those who blatantly live
apart from God’s will? I once found
satisfaction reading David’s Psalms that called down God’s wrath on his
enemies, I too want justice and life to be fair. I often need
it to be. There were times when David
had that chance, with Saul, and he extended mercy. We live in a different age than David, we
live under grace and are to extend mercy as well and God wants to bless us when we serve Him in the selfless manner.
We will go to great lengths to pray for those we love, our
friends, and things that tap into our humanity.
As believers in God we must resolve to submit to the Holy Spirit’s power
to develop the same determination that allows us to go to great lengths to pray
for our enemy. Our enemy is
deceived. Our enemy is lost. Our enemy is insecure and angry. Our enemy is wanted and loved. Our enemy could choose to be redeemed. Our enemy has not learned those Truths, yet. If we refuse to forgive, love and
truly intercede without ceasing, they might miss the chance to know beyond
what this world offers. Jesus offered
His sovereign life so our enemy could be reconciled, too. I
went to work this morning apprehensive.
Nothing there changed, but I knew I could change how I saw those I deem my enemy. I know not
to respond in kind, but I now know not to respond to fix, be understood or be
right (especially if I am!). The peace
that overwhelmed me, I could not deny.
Each time we love our enemy, the devil loses his foothold. Why are we
hating and despising and resenting? He’s
already been defeated! I am not
convinced “turn the other cheek” meant let someone hurt you again. I think Jesus meant do not react, but
immediately forgive, do not respond in kind, respond better, with a godly love
and compassion.
Matthew shares with us in chapter 5:44, “But I say to you, love
your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them which despitefully use you…”
When Jesus says to love others, He means our enemy, not just those who
are good to us. Let us come in unity to
see our enemy as God does, with compassion and pray for each one. Let us join as one to pray for one another as
we take God at His word, owning and embracing it literally into our hearts. It isn’t easy but we can set aside our justified anger for a greater good in
Christ. We can glorify God in a
magnificent manner each time we surrender our will to turn away from a worldly
reaction and turn to Him in a godly response that honors Him, keeps us from
sinning and brings our enemy closer to knowing our Lord and Savior. Let us forgive for real in order to really
love.
PRAY, CONSIDER, RECEIVE, SHARE
Please PRAY for those you struggle with. Those who are mean to
you, lie about you, and cause division among God’s people. For the bully, bigot and racist, the wolf in
lamb’s clothing. Pray for your authority
who directs you to compromise your spiritual integrity and faith. For the micro-manager and coworker who creates
conflict, spreading gossip and slander.
Pray for the one who doesn’t even know you but treats you with
animosity. Pray for those who hate you
because you love God. For those who
promote sin and work against what is good and right. For those who persecute those who stand for
what is good and right. Pray. Pray for
them, the enemy. Pray the find the Truth and believe. Pray they find a friend in
you. Pray they see the Friend within
you. Pray for the day you call an enemy
friend.
Please CONSIDER giving, through donations
or volunteer service locally within your own community, fulfilling the
Great Commission through service to the poor and neglected people of our
country and other regions worldwide. Voice of the Martyr’s has a link
below where you can sign-up for email alerts to receive notification of
incidents where members of the persecuted church need prayer.
RECEIVE the Lord's eternal blessing for your partnership in
whichever manner He guides you in.
Please SHARE this blog with anyone you know
who is interested in supporting and/or partnering in mission’s work, locally or
globally.
PRAYER REQUESTS
PRAYER REQUESTS
Pray for:
Students and
their families
Teachers and
school staff
Administrators
Local communities and nation
Government
The unsaved and unreached
Those persecuted for their faith
