Sipping tea on this dreary gray day...after the storm. The storm took out our internet...but many nearby are without power. I am thankful that we have power. In the last blog, I wrote about forgiveness...there is power in forgiveness. Power in forgiveness? That same power that Jesus used to forgive.
Jesus, hung on the cross for each of us. As he hung and looked down at the crowd of people yelling up at Him, a sadness in His heart for all of us, knowing that He came to the earth to show us that we could have a relationship with Father God, Daddy. He looked and saw the crowd. Did he also see those who weren’t there? Those of us yet to sin? To spit in His face? To mock Him? I don’t know. I do know that He took upon Himself all of the sins that were and that were to come. He looked out at the crowd and said, “Father forgive them…” That was powerful! That was from the Holy Spirit! How else would He have the strength to forgive?
There were theives hanging by His side. One theif mocked Jesus. The other rebuked the theif who mocked Jesus saying, “Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the the reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And He (Jesus) said to him, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.~Luke23:40-43
There is a difference in the crowd and the theif who asked Jesus to remember him. There is a difference in Jesus’ forgiveness of the crowd and of the theif. The crowd continued to mock Jesus. To accuse Him. To taunt Him. The crowd, like those in our lives who have abused, threatened, caused harm to a loved one, deeply wounded us...The crowd was forgiven by Jesus. He gave them the grace of His Father. He showed mercy and compassion. So, like Jesus, we have that power to forgive because of the Holy Spirit in us. As gut wrenching and difficult as it may be...we can...in Jesus name and with the power of the Holy Spirit...forgive. As, Jesus demonstrated, He forgave! There was a difference in the “after” of the forgiveness for the crowd and for the theif.
To the theif hanging by His side, He said, “today you will be with Me in paradise.” Jesus forgave the theif! Jesus would have a relationship (in paradise) with that theif. The “after” came with grace! It came with mercy! It came with compassion! Unlike the mocking crowd. The crowd that caused Jesus so much heart ache whose “after” was a “type” of comfort...if they cared to know...they were forgiven. Jesus didn’t say, “hey, today we’re going to have a big party! We are going to celebrate that I forgave you!” Nor did He say, “I forgave you so now let’s hang out sometime.” No, Jesus forgave! They still mocked! Their hearts were still hard! Whereas to the theif hanging beside Him, Jesus said, “you are forgiven! You and I will be together in paradise! We will hang out sometimes!”
We are told to forgive! Forgiveness takes Holy Spirit power! As in 2 Corinthians 2: 5 and 7, we are told to comfort after we forgive. We have given mercy! (that is a tough thing to do without Jesus and the Holy Spirit). The “comfort” after forgiving someone may be that smile you give them when you see them. It may be a note in the mail. It may be hanging out with them some. OR with some whom we need to forgive who have shattered our lives, is Father asking you to comfort them? Maybe, maybe not. Jesus didn’t command it. Sometimes it isn’t possible to comfort the offender. Even if you “comfort” someone who has offended us, we are not guaranteed a positive response.
After you have forgiven an offender, have a real heart to heart talk with Father. Your willingness (obedience) to do what He tells you...is what He wants. I know in the previous blog (first part) I encouraged you to forgive and comfort. In that instance, I was more referring to more “simple” wrongs done against us...slander, attitude issues, an argument that no one “won”....resentments you need to deal with...forgive! And yes comfort! (show mercy). The more heart wrenching, gut wrenching offenses need to be forgiven...you need healing time...but with that Holy Spirit power, you CAN forgive! As in the situation with the crowd, unless you are told by Father, there is a difference in the result. You can have mercy! And heal and move on with God.
With the power of the Holy Spirit, you can forgive! The true Comfort comes from Him! When you forgive, you will have freedom! Freedom! Joy! Peace!
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