Did someone say something unkind? Did you suffer an injustice? Did a friend slight you or slam you? You're not alone. We all experience petty insults. There is a saying, "I can forgive, but I can't forget." But really, can you say you've forgiven someone when you still hold a grudge?
I believe Jesus calls us to both forgive and forget. How much time do we waste going over and over some unfair circumstance? How much 'soul-energy' do we use ruminating on an injustice? We need Jesus to take control of our minds and erase all trace of that sting.
Look at the life of Joseph in Genesis 37, 39-40. If anyone ever had reason to complain about the unfairness of life, it was Joseph. Hated by his brothers, sold into slavery by them, wrongly accused of rape, imprisoned unjustly ... and just when he thinks there is hope of release, the cup-bearer whose dream Joseph interprets, forgets all about him. Joseph had every reason to be depressed and resentful. But what do we see? Joseph relies on God through it all. He forgets the circumstances of the past. He doesn't wallow in self-pity. Instead, he meet every day with a spirit of thankfulness and does his best to excel at every task he's given. He is a leader whenever he goes, no matter what the situation. And God rewards him.
Later, when he is the ruler, directly under Pharaoh in the government, he meets his brothers again. They've come to Egypt because there is a famine. They don't recognize their brother at first. Is Joseph resentful? Has he held a grudge against them all those years? Does he try to make them feel guilty? No. He greets them with tears and hugs. He's not only forgiven them, he has even elevated their evil against him in his mind. He tells them in Genesis 50:20, "As
for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order
to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 'So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.' So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."
Can we follow Joseph's example. Can we let those insults and slights roll off our backs? Jesus will give us the ability to do so. Ephesians 4:31-32 says it all, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just a God in Christ also has forgiven you."
Let's learn to forgive AND forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment