I taught on forgiveness today and felt as though I was speaking to a mirror.
In the book of Genesis, Joseph is such an awesome example of forgiveness. If anybody had a reason to be bitter, jaded, angry or resentful, it was Joseph. He could have been angry with his Dad for not reeling in his 12 brothers who sold him into slavery, left him for dead, and harassed and hated him as the favored son. He could have been angry with Potipher's wife for accusing him of rape, or Potipher himself for not investigating the accusation. Maybe it was his cellmate who he simply asked to remember him after assisting him and of course he was not remembered. Maybe he could have been mad at God for allowing him to suffer, even though he had been faithful...even through all the pain and betrayal.
When given the chance to "get even" with his dastardly brothers, Joseph aided tham, he loved and helped them. He forgave them.
I'd like to think I would do that, but my first reaction is to think, "I'll get them". I too often think of how I'll build a wall around them or get even or simply discard them.
Jesus taught us to forgive 7 times...NO...7 X 70 times. But is the real issue to forgive 490 times or is it to simply forgive. He said that He is faithful to forgive if we forgive others. This isn't just the big things that are offenses against us, it's also the little things that we harbor in our heart and remain unforgiven and unresolved.
Harboring bitterness, anger or resentment is like swallowing a poison intended for the one who offended you...it's eating YOU up from the inside out.
Forgiveness isn't natural or easy. It isn't part of our human makeup. It is a process that begins in your head and concludes in your heart.
May we be a people that choose to forgive, so that we may thrive in the joy of Christ and in the peace that comes through forgiveness, heartfelt, God-honoring forgiveness...even in the little daily issues we all face.
