Forgiving Those Who Hurt Us

     My journey of faith has not been easy.  God does not promise us an easy life.  He does not promise us riches.  There will be times of temptation.  There will be trials and sorrows.  Through our journey, we will fill those hard times with doses of faith learning how to keep our eyes on God and becoming stronger with our hope and faith in God.  There are two things I've learned, forgiveness and love.  I must forgive those who hurt me, and I must learn to love those who deceive me and lie.
     In the Lord's prayer we are taught to say, 'Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also will forgive everyone who hurts us." (Luke 11:4)  This is my interpretation, and when we pray, we must truly forgive and not just in words.  God forgives all our sins, so we are expected to forgive others.  In Matthew 5:44-48, we read.

 "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (NAS)*

 Christian friends, there should be no room in your hearts for hate, deceit, revenge, and racism.  I'm throwing in racism because of the current cultural issues facing our nation.  We can not truly forgive and love if we have hate, deceit, revenge and racism in our minds, hearts, and souls.  If we have these traits, we need to ask God for forgiveness and remove these evil ways from our lives.  How can you forgive if you have these evils buried deep in you souls?  
     We can only forgive if we love those who hurt us.  When we forgive, God helps us to love them.  We can't expect those who hurt us to love us back.  God loves the liar, the murderer, and the abuser.  God loves all of his creation.  Since we have free will, we are not his puppets.  Since we are not God's puppets, we all will not choose to believe.  However, as children of God and believers in Jesus Christ, we are not like the world.  We are to have a loving and forgiving heart.  Always remember as you face the liars, abusers, and hateful actions of others, God's love is greater than all their sin.  God's love will help you to find peace in those hardest of days.  The pain will still be there.  You will still feel anger and disgust.  By giving it all to God, you can find peace in the storms of life.  Then, love will conquer as we forgive those who have done awful wrongs against us.
     These thoughts and reminders of my past pains came to me as I read Genesis 49 and 50.  Joseph's brothers had planned to kill him.  Instead, they threw him in a pit and sold him to traveling salesmen who were on their way to Egypt.  Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt.  Joseph experienced false accusations and years in prison.  Then, in God's time, he was called from prison becoming a wise and respected ruler over Egypt.  Later, during a great famine, Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt in search of food and grain and comes face to face with Joseph.  Joseph brings all his brothers and their families along with Jacob to live in Goshen.  After their father Jacob dies, the brothers are concerned that Joseph will finally take revenge against them for the evil they had done to him.  Now, in chapters 49 and 50, Jacob is embalmed and taken back to the burial grounds of Abraham.  Imagine.  The brothers had this burden of guilt and worry over Joseph one day taking revenge.  Can you imagine such a burden!  

"When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."  Genesis 50:15-21 (NAS)*

The brothers asked Joseph to forgive them.  Joseph had already forgiven them.  He forgave them, comforted them, and was kind to them.
     It should be the same for us today - forgive those who have hurt us.  Don't wait for them to ask forgiveness.  I forgave the two who hurt me, but they have never asked for my forgiveness. I forgave the one who abused me before she asked for forgiveness.  I forgave not knowing what will happen.  By forgiving and loving, we become ruler over the situation.  It is hard knowing they may hurt us again.  However, I'm confident that our love and forgiveness of those who hurt us will bring us to wise decisions.  Maybe, you need to walk away from a job, an abusive marriage or relationship, or a very bad situation.  Walk away with confidence that God will provide.  Believe.  Love. Forgive.  Peace of mind and heart will come.

*New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif.

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