He or she has reached into your personal space and hurt you--grievously:
Has raped or molested you,
Has killed someone you love,
Has bullied you relentlessly through school,
Has lied about you,
Has had an affair on you,
Has plunged you into debt or other debilitating circumstances,
Has robbed you of life through drunk driving,
Has gossiped about you.Not one of these leaves you breathing room at the moment of impact. You only know unquenchable rage, unspeakable grief, suffocating isolation.
When God says forgive the worst offenders, he means climb up in his lap and give him the reins of your heart. He will drive it for awhile. While your heart tumbles around in fits and starts, he will hold you steady, and when he knows you have the fortitude for it, he will offer a new space into which you can move your heart.
A space of freedom from that:
Unquenchable rage,
Unspeakable grief,
Suffocating isolation.Only from your new space can you imagine giving those worst offenders to God. When they are handed over, he sees them with forgiven eyes that are theirs if they surrender to him. As you look on God, his view becomes your view. You risk seeing them with forgiven eyes, too.
All powered by God. It is not up to you. Forgive the worst offenders means watching with God the impact of the crucifixion of his son. You see him forgive; you are tendered to do the same.
It is a miracle of the heart.
Comments are welcome at feedyourstrength@gmail.com.
