My Pastor, Mike Frazier, delivered perhaps one of the most compelling, heartfelt sermons I have ever heard on this topic yesterday. The rancor of the politics of today, the fear of tomorrow economically and the angst everyone is feeling about the "why" of all of this abounds in every American in one way or another with this American certainly as no exception. All of that is all very "group" targeted but the real spear to my heart was the personal nature of forgiveness.
In a church, in a home, in a business it is always the very face-2-face interface that is the most rewarding on one pole and the most hurtful on the other. Forgiveness of a hurt by a friend is a choice and making that choice is not an option if you profess Christianity. Each of you reading this have been hurt via disappointment, surprise character attacks, character assassination be it major or minor, rumor, speculation. And the physiological response of that realization runs very quickly from surprise to shock of anger and possibly revenge. In my life I have found myself the target and it hurts at a very hurtful place you may not even know exists within you. But it is there and yes, it hurts!
But Pastor Frazier, using the story of King David and his pursuit of his adversary in King Saul, masterfully to bring forward the issue of forgiveness. If ever a man had a case for revenge for another man due to overt actions of hostility, certainly David did with the terrible treatment by Saul. Yet King David chose not to do what everyone around him was urging him to do which was to strike out even when the chance to finish it all was in David's hands. Why, even one of David's Special Force leaders volunteered to take Saul out for him but his leader, King David, rightly held his fire and kept his powder dry. What a powerful lesson for each of us to reflect upon from 1 Samuel!
Many of you reading this are wrestling with the hurts, the shock or the disappointment of someone saying or doing something to or about us and we really want to lash out to avenge the hurt. That is the Adamic nature of Man screaming for action. But as Christians, that is not the model Jesus taught us is it? I have learned that true leadership never comes to light until adversity is cast upon that leader and the world can then see first hand how that leader will deal with it. Forgiveness is a choice but for those of you wrestling with this, choose well. and choose correctly for others are watching.
As Pastor Mike said, just being in the "safe" confines of a great church is certainly no safeguard or haven from barbs, hurts and negatives that can impugn ones testimony. I understand that personally very clearly. Choice, right choice, is never easy and is rarely always the most popular pathway to take but it is always the right pathway.
So if someone has hurt you, seek that place in your heart of hearts to forgive that person. If you have been the source of hurting another, seek God's Purpose and Will in how best to reconcile whatever the issues that exist be they real or perceived this day. There is simply too much hurt and poison in a fallen world and we can see it daily in mass killings, inflicted hurts and atrocities that are passion-driven. We are living in dangerous times but it is the model Jesus set forth for us all that can bring calm to a stormy sea and we all have those seas crashing on our shores each day.
Seek to forgive by first seeking to love and respect! So you can know, we NEED each other in the tough times and none can doubt these are tough times! Be blessed this day!
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