31 Days of Forgiveness Launch {and Review}…
God’s forgiveness is not just a casual statement; it is the complete blotting out of all dirt and degradation of our past, present, and future. ~ Billy Graham
I recently looked forgiveness in the eye.
I was given a chance to seek forgiveness and receive it in turn.
Empowered by Him, a phone conversation and a face to face freed me.
Through tear-drenched eyes, I owned up to my mistakes and offenses.
Not only did I confess them to HIM, I confessed them to those who were offended and hurt.
Forgiveness was granted.
Bitterness dissolved.
Peace abounded in my heart.
Shortly after seeking forgiveness, while laying transparently open before each conversation closed, I thought it was my turn.
During the course of months, nay years I, too, had been on the receiving end of hurts. I had a running tab of wrongs which were as arrows into my heart. In my mind’s eye, I envisioned the same conversation in reverse.
That was not the case.
Sadly, that was not the case.
Initially, if I’m to be totally honest, I was taken aback. Even after revealing pain in the recesses of my heart, pain inflicted whether knowingly or not, no request came.
In combination with the soothing whispers of the Holy Spirit, Tracie’s 31 Days of Forgiveness ministered loudly and profoundly to me. His words, spoken through her, helped inspired me and release me.
How? Here’s how.
Tracie beautifully defines and illustrates what forgiveness IS and what it is not.
“Forgiveness is grace . . . a free and unmerited {not deserved} favor.” It is an intentional act of the part of the one forgiving following the command of the Father.
“ . . . be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 {NLT}
ForGIVEness is a gift on the part of the giver following the example and command of our Lord. An action having more to do with the giver than the receiver.
Forgiveness is NOT:
- expecting someone to acknowledge her wrongdoing
- enabling, excusing, condoning, or justifying sin
- reconciliation
- forgetting
- a one-time event
- an option
For years, I confused the “NOT” with the “IS”.
I expected the person I was forgiving to acknowledge their wrong.
To my surprise, there were moments I did see forgiving as enabling the offender.
I assumed forgiveness meant reconciliation, excusing or approving of the hurt.
No wonder I struggled with forgiving.
Furthermore, Tracie gently cites that according to Matthew, when we don’t forgive, God is not obligated to forgive us:
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 {NLT}
With definitions in hand and the command set forth, how do we know we have forgiven?
- When we can wholly give the situation over to God.
- When we can follow the command found in Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.
- All I have to say is—thank goodness God doesn’t remember our transgressions..
- Spiritually, an unexplainable peace finds its way into our hearts and minds.
- Physically, it feels as though a burden has been lifted.
As a reviewer it’s a challenge to choose just the right ideas, concepts, quotes and thoughts to share. As I read 31 Days of Forgiveness, the task was much greater.
Each page bursts forth with truth after truth. The text is beautifully crafted, well-directed and overflowing with God’s word, quotes and personal accounts of forgiveness. All three are woven together beautifully as it leads the reader on a 31 day journey of forgiveness.
I give 31 Days of Forgiveness 5/5 Stars…
Catch this…
- The electronic version of 31 Days of Forgiveness is FREE through AMAZON for the next 72 hours!!
- A paperback copy of 31 Days of Forgiveness is available for $7.99 via Amazon.
- All proceeds of 31 Days of Forgiveness will go directly to The Seed Company. Today, nearly one-third of the world’s language groups, representing 350 million people, are still waiting for God’s Word in a language they can understand clearly. The Seed Company enables you to support local Bible translators as they make God’s message available in the language of their people.
…at Canyon Creek Baptist Church, Richardson, TX
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dotMOM is coming to Dallas in 2013…
