Because I tend to be an anxious person by nature and ruminate over everything, I find the act of forgiving others very challenging. In my perfectionistic manner, I tend to set very high expectations not only for myself but also for everyone else. When someone sins against me, I find myself holding resentments and am let down.
What I have been working on is the fact that no one is perfect. Just as Christ meets me where I am today, so too must I try to engage with others where they are at in their walk with God. I take things far too personally always. If you think about it, when someone hurts you, it's not really you they have the problem with; it's God.
I am coming to realize that much of my anxiety comes from being held captive by what others think. What I need to focus most on is what God thinks. As long as I am respecting myself and interacting with others in the way He sees fit, then I can rest and have joy that He will protect me from all harm.
Every person has a reason for their life, and God has love for every person even if He favors those who walk closer to Him. It follows, then, that we can look to Christ as our example for how to interact with those who offend us.
Jesus showed mercy and grace to all mankind by dying for our sins. We must forgive everyone in the same manner that Christ sacrificed Himself for us. For those who do not display a willing heart, all I think we can do is demonstrate Christ to them as best we can and keep ourselves at a safe distance. But, for those who have a heart that yearns for God, we should support them, teach them, and forgive them so that we can fully understand and allow them to experience the love of Christ.
Perfect love is not easy, but it is beautiful and fulfilling and deep. It is life-sustaining. We are the hands and the feet of our Lord. It is a challenging job, but it is one that I am trying to take more and more comfort in every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment