For close to two millennia we followers of Jesus have prayed that our Father in Heaven would forgive our debts/trespasses/sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Forgiveness can be viewed as something which we ought to do/should do/are obligated to do - and perhaps rightly so. But, more and more and I am hoping to see all that Jesus commands as things I desire, because I desire, life and every good thing. I'm beginning to desire forgiveness because I simply desire life - and life to the full. First, I do desire forgiveness of my debts/sins/trespasses. I don't find any life or wisdom in being weighed down by my sins. Daily praying the prayer Jesus gave us is a way to remind myself of my daily need for forgiveness and to daily feel the weight lifted.
Then the prayer reminds me that I need to extend forgiveness. In fact forgiveness follows the request for daily bread. In some very real and meaningful way forgiveness is every bit as necessary as daily bread. And, I think that the way the prayer flows both elements of forgiveness are absolutely as necessary as daily bread - both the forgiveness I receive and the forgiveness - I need to forgive. Expecting to receive forgiveness, but never extending forgiveness is absolutely as unhealthy as expecting or attempting to eat bread and then expecting that bread to never ever go anywhere else (I think friends we call this anal retentiveness - and well it is not all that good for us). Forgiveness flows to us, and then if we are to be healthy and cultivate room in our soul, it flows from us.
I am helped by viewing unforgiveness as a toxin. Unforgiveness poisons my soul and poisons the soil of my relationships with others. And here is the thing - I do not think that poison only effects the relationships where I am aware there is unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is a habit forming type of toxin. It provides a certain false energy, that can propel me forward for a moment, but in the end leaves me drained, yet addicted to that false energy, and that false energy can easily spill into different relationships - I can begin to use in new situations!
So there is a cliché that is often used when speaking of forgiveness and unforgiveness.... Unforgiveness is liking taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It can be a clichéd throwaway line in a sermon - but like the clichéd sayings of the twelve step programs if taken to heart- will facilitate a process of transformation. I think this one is especially true - holding on to unforgiveness absolutely will poison my own soul - (I suspect that it also has a toxic effect on my body).
The other cliché that I love regarding forgiveness is: Forgiveness is setting someone free and discovering that the person you freed was you. Again easy enough to turn into sermonic white noise, but if taken in the depths of my soul - wow what a powerful anti-toxin.
So, I'm looking to be the truly free person Jesus says that I can be, and am looking to set people free - and am discovering happily that the person that is being freed is me!
Forgiveness can be viewed as something which we ought to do/should do/are obligated to do - and perhaps rightly so. But, more and more and I am hoping to see all that Jesus commands as things I desire, because I desire, life and every good thing. I'm beginning to desire forgiveness because I simply desire life - and life to the full. First, I do desire forgiveness of my debts/sins/trespasses. I don't find any life or wisdom in being weighed down by my sins. Daily praying the prayer Jesus gave us is a way to remind myself of my daily need for forgiveness and to daily feel the weight lifted.
Then the prayer reminds me that I need to extend forgiveness. In fact forgiveness follows the request for daily bread. In some very real and meaningful way forgiveness is every bit as necessary as daily bread. And, I think that the way the prayer flows both elements of forgiveness are absolutely as necessary as daily bread - both the forgiveness I receive and the forgiveness - I need to forgive. Expecting to receive forgiveness, but never extending forgiveness is absolutely as unhealthy as expecting or attempting to eat bread and then expecting that bread to never ever go anywhere else (I think friends we call this anal retentiveness - and well it is not all that good for us). Forgiveness flows to us, and then if we are to be healthy and cultivate room in our soul, it flows from us.
I am helped by viewing unforgiveness as a toxin. Unforgiveness poisons my soul and poisons the soil of my relationships with others. And here is the thing - I do not think that poison only effects the relationships where I am aware there is unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is a habit forming type of toxin. It provides a certain false energy, that can propel me forward for a moment, but in the end leaves me drained, yet addicted to that false energy, and that false energy can easily spill into different relationships - I can begin to use in new situations!
So there is a cliché that is often used when speaking of forgiveness and unforgiveness.... Unforgiveness is liking taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It can be a clichéd throwaway line in a sermon - but like the clichéd sayings of the twelve step programs if taken to heart- will facilitate a process of transformation. I think this one is especially true - holding on to unforgiveness absolutely will poison my own soul - (I suspect that it also has a toxic effect on my body).
The other cliché that I love regarding forgiveness is: Forgiveness is setting someone free and discovering that the person you freed was you. Again easy enough to turn into sermonic white noise, but if taken in the depths of my soul - wow what a powerful anti-toxin.
So, I'm looking to be the truly free person Jesus says that I can be, and am looking to set people free - and am discovering happily that the person that is being freed is me!
No comments:
Post a Comment