Dude, this Gospel cuts deep today! Two of the things I have been working on and know that I need improving so much are hit on today. Patience and forgiveness.
As much as I understand the need to forgive in my brain, my heart struggles so much! I let pride and the need to always feel and be right get in my way. I feel like I need to be justified and heard all the time! I know and understand that truly forgiving is as much, and often times more, about my healing as it is the person being forgiven, yet I struggle so much!
In the opening exchange of the Gospel Peter is asking Jesus how many times he must forgive someone who has done wrong to him. Peter probably thought he was being such a good disciple suggesting that he forgive someone up to 7 times for an offense. Jesus flips the tables on him and says, nope, not just 7, but 77!
This is not just a lesson in forgiving, but man oh man, it is also about testing patience!
Jesus gives us a story of a man who was forgiven of an absurdly ridiculous debt, but then turns around and won't forgive a debt someone owes him that is a fraction of the cost. When reading the story I get so angry with this guy. How can he not understand the grace and mercy he was given and then not show it in return to someone else?!?
Hello, pot calling the kettle black!
Isn't that what we do every single time we don't forgive someone? The debt Jesus paid for us is far more than anything we could ever dream to be forgiven of. If he forgave all of my sins, how can I not forgive someone who says something unkind to me? How can I not forgive someone who has lied to me? How can I not forgive someone who has done any kind of wrong to me?
Jesus gave his life for me and I still screw up every single day, over and over. I don't just screw up, but I even continue to screw the same things up over and over! He is patient with me, he is compassionate toward me and is merciful!
How can I not extend that same patience, compassion and mercy to others?
I understand this in my head, now it is time to do this with my heart. As I continue moving forward in my Pursuit of overall health and wellness I need to remember this story and the feelings it evokes in me. When I just don't want to forgive someone, I need to remember how I feel about the unforgiving servant in the story from today's gospel. I don't want to be like that!
It is time to start forgiving and really living the life God intends for us to live!
No comments:
Post a Comment