WordFILLED Wednesday: Forgiveness...

After my bookworm revelations of yesterday...I now will admit that I read many, many Christian non-fiction books at a time. If you're like me you are given a book here, buy a book there, borrow a book here...and they all seem to be half way read.

I think I read them all at the same time for numerous reason. One, they are often rather deep and I cannot digest any more than a few chunks at a time. Two, I'm trying to conquer them with some amount of speed so that I remember who they belong to, etc. etc. Anyhew...

You know how God often repeats himself in scripture? Yeah, well...He does that in my life too. I'm not a really good listener...ahem. (Probably a lesson there in my level of patience in dealing with my rather similar 2 year old.) So, in my Bible Studies and in my many works of half read non-fiction...one theme has come glaring through this week...FORGIVENESS.

I know, ewwwww!

So, seeing as I do realize the warning at the end of the passage in Matthew...I decided I better really examine this out in my life. I don't want ANYTHING between me and God! ANYTHING!! And...it was there...that situation of several years past (yes, years) that had raised it's ugly head. Yes, I'd forgiven initially...but when slander, offenses and what-have-you continued...instead of forgiving I had gulped down that root of bitterness and nurtured it into a great, furry beastie! I had even found myself some "friends" who themselves had similar beasties to help nurture my beastie. Not the kind of friends you want folks...you want friends who tell you what GOD'S WORD SAYS!!! If someone pats your furry sin on the head and says, "Oh, I understand...he is just like mine." A doo run, run, run!!!

So, I re-forgave...and it's so freeing. BUT here is the thing I want to share...sort of my most recent revelation on forgiveness... If we picture God's forgiveness to us when we forgive others (which we should)...we must forgive like God...AND THAT MEANS...
-covering all our sins
-blessing us as if we'd done nothing wrong

I know....Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!

So, do you care more deeply for someone after you've forgiven them? You should. You should be praying that God will bless them! Yup, you read that right...BLESS THEM!!

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

To Join WFW today head over to Amydeanne's...HERE! It occurs to me that I could have posted a very Easter post today...but oh well...this was on my heart instead. Probably a reason for that too!