forgiveness – Page 6

2 Corinthians 2:1-17 – Forgiveness Doesn’t Mean We Forget

What is happening here? I feel like I jumped into the second season of a show and I have no idea what all the references mean. Let’s not let ourselves get stuck on that. When we remember that this is a letter from Paul to his friends in Corinth that he has had an ongoing relationship with, there are bound to be situations we are just not privy to. It doesn’t matter. We can glean a lot from what is unsaid as well.

We can gather there was a person in their midst wreaking havoc and causing all sorts of problems. Paul had counseled them previously on how to handle his, and it appears they listened. When we are being tossed around by someone who is harming us or influencing us in a negative way, we need to rid ourselves of that temptation to sin lest we fall into the hands of the evil one, too. But what is Paul saying to do now? Forgive.

Proverbs 28:1-14 – Confess Your Sins

Read Proverbs 28:1-14

When we keep our sins inside, they can fester and we can feel stuck in the muck, so to speak. When we confess those sins, we find freedom. Verse 13 reveals a little of this promise as it says, “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Mercy, that sounds good. We all want relief from suffering provided by our loving, compassionate God. Not to mention, who doesn’t want to be prosperous?

We were just on a webinar today about those beliefs and fears that hold us back from our success. Those fears are often feelings we have allowed ourselves to feel for years based on lies the evil one has placed in our heads. When we act on them, we sin. For instance, the fear of failure may come from our feelings of insecurity or unworthiness, our self-doubt. God certainly didn’t put that inside us. But it’s there. It’s keeping us from loving God, too, feeling like we aren’t even good enough for his love. When we are separated from God, we are sinning.

Proverbs 20:21-30 – Revenge is Not the Answer

Read Proverbs 20:21-30

Have you ever been wronged by someone? I think all of us have at some point in life. It never feels good to be hurt by a friend or even a stranger. What happens next will define us. Do we rush to get even? Or, do we only dream of sweet revenge? How do you react when you are the target of slander and lies?

For me, I always want to set the record straight. I’m so afraid of what people think of me. Yet Solomon’s wise counsel is this, “Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.” Are you kidding me? How can I do that? We might think we look weak if we don’t fight back. But on the contrary, we are much stronger when we are able to bite our tongue and just take the lashing, trust that God has our backs.

Proverbs 17:1-15 – Forgiveness

Read Proverbs 17:1-15

Isn’t reading all of this wisdom good for the soul? Be sure to take time to really wrestle with each proverb. There are only a handful to reflect on each day. Again, I am torn for which one to focus on today. As a grandma, I do agree that grandchildren are our crowning glory. All the trials and tribulations that go with parenting seem to be rewarded when the grandchildren come along. And, the one that spoke of acquitting the guilty also spoke to the paralegal in me who prepared a number of cases for trial.

Verse 9 is the one I chose for today, and it says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” Forgiveness is a powerful act. It releases us from bondage. Many times, we hold on to something that has happened to us, and it can make us bitter. We let it play over and over in our heads. Meanwhile, the other(s) involved are totally unaffected and may not even remember the event in the first place. Holding on to hurts is hurting us more than the person who hurts us, don’t you agree?

1 John 2:1-6 – Do You Know God?

Read 1 John 2:1-6

I’m so glad John wrote this to us so that we won’t sin! Unfortunately, I don’t think his words can keep us from sinning, it’s not that easy. But his words can make us aware of our sin and what we can do about it. So on the off chance you happen to sin (and you will), we can all be sure that Jesus is ready to save us.

Jesus is portrayed here as our advocate, pleading our case for us. With my legal background, of course, I picture a lawyer in court before the Judge. I have worked on many a case representing the “bad guy” who was still allowed counsel before the judge. What would the sentence be? A good lawyer would make sure the sentence was fair or non-existent in the right circumstances. Jesus pleads not-guilty for us because he, himself is the sacrifice for all sins.