| Forgiving Is No Small Gift - article by Joel Hempel
For those who may not remember Pastor Scott’s sermon last Wednesday, his message built toward a crescendo that ended with: “Jesus does not hold their (disciples) or our failures against us . . . Failure does not hinder [our Lord’s] forgiveness.” Unlike Jesus, over the years and into the present, there have been people I have had to work hard to forgive because my attitude and anger were hindering the Spirit’s will. I also know there are many others who God has called on to forgive me. Forgiving is no small gift. It cost Jesus far more than his life. It cost the pain of eternal rejection and damnation. That was everything! But forgiving others is also not cheap for us. We must be willing to let go of offenses, some of which cut deep. But the cost of letting go is not nearly as expensive as holding onto personal injuries. The temptation to make the offending party suffer – by reminding them of their sin in subtle and not-so-subtle ways – can be great, especially if the offense is great. But here are some of the problems with not releasing the offender: One, the person may not think s/he did anything wrong and therefore has no intention of apologizing. Two, the one hurting from the offense now has to carry the pain from the offense plus the guilt of not forgiving. Three, the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer is mocked. Yes, the offending party should be big enough to recognize their sin and seek you out to apologize. But they may not. That leaves you with a decision. Remember when the brothers go to Egypt to get Pharaoh’s help and are ushered into the courtroom before their yet-to-be-recognized brother? When the brothers’ sin is exposed, they can’t stand it. After all these years, they fall to their knees, ready to finally be punished for torturing their little brother and father. But they are not condemned to some dungeon to suffer the rest of their lives. Instead, they are forgiven! “Stand up! Do not be afraid I forgive you. Be at peace.” What Joseph did for his brothers, what Jesus did for us, God needs us to do for those who hurt us. Anything less is to suffer the consequences of an encumbered life. But forgiving someone can be hard when you are hurting or angry from the offense. So, how does a Christian shift from being stuck in their hurt to letting go of the offense? The power of the Gospel and God’s forgiveness delivers far more than words of mercy. The Gospel equips us with strength to ask God for (a) the willingness to forgive and then (b) the courage to love the other as we have been loved. God’s grace promises to equip us with what we need to let go of the offense. Would it help to talk about it? It has always helped me. | 
