This is something I've had on my mind for a while. There are so many people that I know that are hurting.. Things from their past... things from now. And often forgiveness is hard to find. Bitterness is by far the most harmful of emotions. It leads to so many other things.. anger, hate, need for revenge. It grabs our own sense of reason and distorts it in way that justifies actions that we could never otherwise justify. It is a wedge between us and God. It is a roadblock on the path to us becoming what God wants us to be. It becomes our master, and us, it's slave..
I've mulled this over in my head for months now. I have no eloquent words of inspiration. But, perhaps the words that broke my heart on this matter will do so for you too. The video clip that I'm posting is divided into two segments. Together, they are around 15 minutes. That's a long time to spend on a blog post.. I know that.. But it is my prayer that if you are struggling with bitterness towards someone, that you will find a quiet 15 minutes to watch and listen with an open heart.. It may change your life. It did mine.
May our hearts be open to give the forgiveness that Jesus so freely gives to us.
Blessings,
Dana
I love Rob Bell, and I love you. Thanks for sharing this. As much as I wish that I didn't, I needed to see it.
ReplyDeleteMiss you!
What a wonderful topic... I wish I didn't need to hear these words, but I did!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this!
I had seen both of these clips at church some time ago but I am thankful you posted them. I have never considerd myself a vengeful person but I do have trouble forgiving. I have really struggled with this recently and after Sat. I gave it to God. I hope I am able to leave it in his hands and not try picking it up again. I also pray that I have not been the one to cause someone else to have vengeful feelings toward me. And if so,I never meant to hurt anyone, it is not my desire to ever be hurtful. Thanks again for the reminder. Love ya! Rhonda
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting those. I needed that reminder.
ReplyDeletePowerful. Convicting. Thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteP.S.
Sandra Bullock rocks the blonde locks.
I am rather new to Rob Bell and hadn't seen those clips before; but I liked them.
ReplyDeleteI had a situation last year where I had to put it all down, humble myself to appologize for my part in the wrongdoings and then forgive the other person for what they had done as well. Did that person appologize for what they had done??? No. It was at that time that I realized that she didn't care if I forgave her and probably would have rather that I kept carrying around the luggage from her. But it did make a difference to me and I know that I did what God expected of me, so there was a sense of freedom.
God does forgive us, but I don't think he forgives us freely..."If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. We are to confess our sins, and ask Him for forgiveness. If I had just said to her, myself, and God, ok I forgive her for what she did to me and those I love...that wouldn't have done anything because God still knows that I had a part in it too, that I was wrong too. I had to confess those things to God and to her and ask for forgiveness. By doing that, God put those things as far as the east is from the west...Did she?? I don't think so. But that is where it falls away from me; because I know that I did what was asked of me and I am clear with God and with her even if she doesn't accept the appology or chooses not to forgive me, I did what was right. I had to choose to forgive her for what she had done without her apology in order to free myself from the anger...but I don't have to put myself in a position where she can hurt me again.
Thanks for the videos...I think I may blog about this myself and pass on a few things I have learned from my grandparents on this matter.
Love you!
Have a Blessed Day!!
Very moving. I wasn't at all expecting the end. It was like a huge exclamation point. I have learned to let little things go fairly easily. However, it's the wounds that keep re-opening from contact with and lack of realization or change from the person who continues to wound you; or situations that happen that bring back memories of something that happened to you before that are the most difficult to deal with. I think I have forgiven, but forgetting may not be possible. Maybe, forgetting isn't really what we should do. If we remember, maybe we won't do the same thing to others; and if we remember the really bad things and get beyond them our goal should be to help others do the same.
ReplyDeleteLove ya - Lynn