About Forgiveness

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. – Paul Boese –

 

Enlarge the future?  How’s that?  Truth is, when someone hurts me and a relationship ends, the other person may go away but the hurt doesn’t.  It lodges itself in my heart and takes up valuable real estate.  No matter how often I tell myself the other person does not “deserve” to be forgiven, I have to wonder who’s suffering from my lack of forgiveness.  Truth is, the offender is likely living an easier life than I am and may have forgotten all about that hurt that’s still lodged in my heart.  If I forgive that person, whether directly, or prayerfully between myself and the Lord, I’m the one who is set free!  That real estate the hurt took up is now free and Jesus can fill it with Himself!  Talk about an enlarged future!!!

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My Heart Doesn’t Look Like a Valentine!

Seriously, the human heart doesn’t look like a valentine and while I could look up why the day February 14th became linked to a specific “shape” we call a heart, I’m not going to write about that.  As I look at the shape what I see is a rounded shape which is bursting open.  A simple shape.  A shape, a vessel, so full it is exploding and it’s contents are thus shared with those near and far as it bursts because it cannot contain anymore . . . much like my human heart when it is so full of the love of God.  I can’t selfishly hold His love, even if I wanted to.  I must share it.  Fortunately, He makes this easy for He gives us people with whom it must be shared.  He also gives us more so steadily that we never have to worry about running low. 

As Valentine’s Day approaches and we are reminded of love as the world and the retail industry define it, I believe Christians who know it’s definition in a different way should take care to give that love more freely.  Let us allow that “holiday” to be a reminder of what His love means and let us share it freely everyday, shall we?  Candy is nice, but when we “”taste and see that the Lord is good” as Psalm 34:8 reminds us, we find LIFE as we’ve never known it could be!  Let’s share that love everyday!