Thank God it's Friday, for many around the world today begins the weekend and Friday is met with great joy and promise. As I reflect on the week and all that has happened, my mind continues to wonder to Florida where this week a tragic shooting event happened during a School Council Board meeting. Unless you have been out of the country you probably heard about this story. I bring it up because the person who interrupted this meeting seemed so angry, so upset, so fed up and full of resentment for his family's situation. I realize that life is hard and at many times unfair. However if I have to choose between holding on to resentment or letting go and forgiving, I choose forgiveness 100%. Harboring resentment in our hearts and lives will eventually kill us. Today's scripture speaks to forgiving and letting go.
Matthew 18: 21-22 (NRSV)
Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? As many as up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!
Rather than resenting those who wrong us, we need to love them, and we can express our love by blessing and praying for them. We do this because Christ loves us; and we do it for His sake, because we love Him. What's that you say, bless and pray for those who wronged us? Yes! We ask God to bless and have mercy on those who hurt us, we must wish good things for them, time and time again. If we can't bring selves to do this then that means we are still holding ill feelings of resentment toward them. So I say to you friends today choose forgiveness over resentment and start today.
God today help us to forgive, even those who have hurt us so deep. Amen.
Be well this weekend, P.J.
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