... forgiveness.... it's accepting the consequences of another persons sin.. leaving the judgement and punishment in the hands of the Creator of the Universe... The Holy God... who alone is just....it's obedience to a God who forgave us our sins, before we even knew that we needed this forgiveness...
these facts have been familiar for many years... explained the concept to many and encouraged them to take the next step and forgive... cutting the chains that bound them to the offender...
it's something I knew I had to do, something I practiced daily for many, many years, as a preparation it turns out for what was to happen one year ago today....
when "accepting the consequences" back then... I did so with a sincere heart.... the only thing I was not aware of back then is that I had no idea what those consequences would be... that consequences pop up again and again, new ones, unexpected ones... affecting others... like my kids.... that they would be something we would have to be dealing with and living on an ongoing basis.....
I realized that the pain of those consequences is what we are accepting... the complications of our lives, the losses that continue to manifest themselves.. and as the last days have brought more consequences into the light I realized another thing.... on the way to the very slow recovery, some consequences / painful impacts might require some more extending of forgiveness ....
when praying and forgiving back then I didn't get the full scope of the consequences.....I might not have seen it all yet, but I for sure have a better idea now... so today I came to the conclusion that some more forgiveness was needed in order to be right with my God...
so I did, again, not for the offender but for myself.... the resentment I have been feeling for how the choices one person made mess up my life even today needed to be released and given up...
I am coming to realize that this too will be an ongoing process.... I am kind of tired of those.... I am acting in obedience relying on the blessing and protection that is promised to me.... I am once again pleading with my Father .... claiming His promises.... not letting go of Him... hanging on for dear life.... until the peace that passes all understanding is mine in Christ Jesus... That's one of the promises after all....
