Break the chains

 

Titled Transitions-this picture is part black and white representing Winter, the other half in true color representing Spring. The lady, a stranger to me was sitting under this tree by herself which is a symbol of how we struggle internally and alone during the transitions in life. Pain often proceeds true change and this picture, for me, tells the tail wonderfully. 

On the heals of the last post concerning being forgiven, I'd like to touch on being the one to forgive. The whole goal for Jesus coming to Earth was to forgive everyone's sin. You see it several times in the gospel when Jesus said your sins are forgiven. His message was a message of hope and light and joy. The same message can be offered to those who offend us. 

Have you ever seen the movie, The Shack or read the book it was based on. In that book the main character has to confront and forgive the man who kidnapped, rapped and killed his daughter. For me and most everyone, the loss of your child to an unimaginable crime like that is too much to think about let alone forgive the person who committed it. Yet, everyday, criminals, rapists, drug users and sellers, human traffickers, murders and more come to the forgiving knowledge of Christ Jesus. Their slate is clean as the day they came into this world. Heaven forbid we go through a situation where someone does something horrible to us. Not only would the crime transform us but the hate that comes with it does as well. Hate brews and hate creates a darkening heart. It kills the wearer of indignation and cuts off the light to their heart. 

I saw on the news several years ago where two young adults were rapped and murdered. The men responsible were sentenced to jail for those crimes. The father of the young woman through his interviews and his language and his look, you could see hate consuming him from the inside. He aged in the years it took for the convictions and the case to be dealt with. It affected him I think more than those men. What if he forgave them though. In the middle of the court room, what if he walked over, gave the men a hug and truly forgave them. Could their lives be changed from what it was to something better.

Forgiveness is the only power we have that can change someone's heart. Because forgiveness encompasses judging as well. If we focus on someone's sins and judge them, then forgiveness is not in our hearts. True foregiveness bypasses and overlooks any sin that a person does. If we can't overlook and foregive, then we may fall under the same judgement. As we have the power to foregive, so do others. If we judge we may also be judged by others.

Forgiveness is at the heart of God. The Bible is a love letter of foregiveness to us. As I said before, those that have been foregiven much will love much. Be the key to someone's prison. Be their light in this world by saying one phrase, I foregive you. 

May God have all the Glory