Learning the Art of Forgiveness
 

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, please help me become a "5-Star" Christian. I want to follow the example Jesus gave to serve others with excellence. Please help me have the right attitude toward the people in my life and to show genuine concern for others. May you be glorified in all I think, say, and do. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Learning the Art of Forgiveness
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman

"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (Luke 11:4).

"I'm sorry for speaking to you harshly last night," I said. Then the Holy Spirit reminded me to add the second and most important part of my admission. "Will you forgive me?" Without this request we have only partially repented of our sin. It is important to humble ourselves before those we sin against. This is repentance. If we only say we are sorry we are only stating remorse for our actions.

Jesus modeled this in the Lords Prayer: "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (Luke 11:4). When I owned my advertising agency I once filed a lawsuit against a client who refused to pay a $140,000 bill. However, the Lord instructed me that because I had also sinned in the situation, I was to drop the suit. My next move was to talk to my former client. I tried phoning him, but he wouldn't return my calls. Finally, I reached his secretary and said, "I want you to take this message down and give it to your boss, word for word - no changes: 'I have sinned against you. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I ask your forgiveness for filing the lawsuit against you. You are no longer obligated to pay the balance you owe me if you don't feel you owe it.'"

I could hear the secretary begin to cry on the other end of the line. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. About an hour later, my former client called. We hadn't spoken for six months. We reconciled the relationship.

The next few years were incredibly difficult because of the financial setback I suffered, but God provided for my needs. Looking back, I realize that this was my Judas Test. I passed the test when I let go of my resentment and asked to be forgiven, and God was glorified in the situation.

Have been literally paralyzed because of hate, anger, and fear which I was unable to forgive. I learned I had to forgive the person as a child of God and recognize that they have their own disease. I had to forgive for my own health and well being.

I had to ask my God and myself for forgiveness and had to work Steps 8 and 9 to help me do that, along with making the change and amends to others. Amends isn't saying "Sorry" and trying to forget. It is about changing ourselves and not continue doing and acting out in my disease in recovery. It is about healing me and the thinking behind my drinking, drugging, and little game plays I made to get validation, attention, fill the empty void that I did't fill with spiritual things, and the list goes on and on.