CWW Week 11 - Forgiveness - Day 4

Forgiveness

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

“Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

As I write in these early pre-dawn hours, there is a certain peace that helps me to hear Gods’ voice while having the time to contemplate the direction the Holy Spirit may want me to take as I type.

These thoughts have come to mind as I ponder the scripture for today. Since my awakening in 2020 into the realisation that the government may not have my best interests at heart, I ventured into what could loosely be called a movement.

As what has been termed,”The Pandemic”, brought the planet to it’s knees, I found myself walking in a herd of beautiful people who, like me, had come to the same realisations. We all gathered en masse in the tens of thousands in cities and towns across the world. An awakening was happening and I was a part of it.

It didn’t matter what background you came from or your ethnicity, we all joined in a wonderful common bond, a brotherhood of believers. It sounds like a church doesn’t it? It became my church, as people realised that there was not an institution on the planet that they trusted anymore and thousands were looking to Heaven for answers.

Sadly what was surely meant to be a rekindling of community that would spread across the globe, went largely un noticed by those not yet yawning into the same conscious awakening. Why? Because nobody told them. The media relied on by many for the truth of each day, refused to look and failed to report it. This is not the place to talk about the politics of these things, but it did give rise to a certain frustration amongst the now marginalised realists who were gathering. It was like they had planned this big party and someone forgot to invite the guests.

Frustrations emerged as participants tried to come to terms with an obvious shunning of what many thought was the great cleansing of humanity. The beautiful community, once together as one in a common goal, had splintered into fractures of differing agendas and emerging egos. While this was playing out, the purists who had awakened to the new trend to freedom, slowly wandered off in disbelief.

Evil had infected the gaping wounds that were now exposed and, as, with the pandemic, the simple cures were admonished and the same disease; please notice dis-ease, had found a foothold in what remains, an amazing opportunity for humanity.

Colossians 3:13 had not been applied. Gossip, innuendo and labelling had been the seismic shock to open up the cracks in this new church just as it has in traditional churches.

In our ministry of healing, now running since 2006, our volunteers are encouraged to tell the truth faster. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, do not harbour gossip about fellow volunteers. I once heard a response from a friend to another who was gossiping about me. “Would you say that about Graham if you knew Jesus was standing beside you?” The other man clammed up and skulked away.

How often do we dwell on others interpretations on what was said? How often do we allow our pain, unknown to others, to frame the words we hear in the wrong way? In the wonderful book and movie of the same name, “The Shack” William P Young wrote a line I have often used. “You can’t see God because you’re looking through the knot hole of your own pain.”

Our past hurts either self inflicted or inflicted by others, colours the way we perceive the words we hear especially in an environment where trust has been damaged.

It’s not easy to start a healing conversation. We always think of how many ways this can go wrong and often walk away with our misconceptions unresolved. Who wins when we do that?

When we fail to tell the truth faster and confront a small tare before it becomes a rip, we play right into satan’s hands. The old adage of  “A stitch in time saves nine” rings true here doesn’t it?

So how do you start a healing conversation? 

Pray

Well first pray about it, inviting the Holy Spirit to do the talking.

Decide on the outcomes you want.

Think about your motives and develop your methods to achieve your motives.

The aim is to heal not hurt.

Both participants should walk away smiling in the clear understanding that each others needs have been met.

In times of trouble, change and strife, those of like mind must “bear with one another and forgive one another.” Stress, fear and anxiety often engender unhealthy communication.

Turn your complaints into requests.

Instead of complaining about something, ask for the solution. This is helpful because in framing the request you become solution oriented and often come to a healthy realisation.

1. Maybe the fix is in your remit to do.
2. Perhaps the issue is unfixable and therefore not worth worrying about? Remember the Serenity Prayer once again?
3. You can go to the other person with a list of possible solutions and they don’t have to work out what it will take to make you happy.

Healthy communities of faith and even the village we need to recreate, can only thrive to be the light on the hill if we choose to make it so. Colossians 3:13 is one of the many ‘go to’ scriptures in a Bible filled with gems of wisdom. How do you start?

Philippians 4:13 “For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Could it be this simple? Oh that it would be.

Why am I amazed? As I finalise this devotional my phone chimes with a message from a friend with his daily scripture.

Galations 6:2

“Bear ye one another burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

I am never amazed by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Questions.

1. If “the essence of your communication is in the response you get”, what is the flavour of your conversations and where is the pain that drives that?
2. Can you forgive your brothers and sisters in arms as they too struggle with the same fears you do?
3. How do you plan to see Jesus today as you interact in your community? Are you willing to let Him help you to see the God in others and ignore the garbage? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, Papa God.

I am so feeble on this journey I find myself. I am so easily offended and so quick to mis-trust others. Help me to be discerning in my choices Papa. Help me to surround myself with supportive and loving people and then help me to take responsibility for those relationships as you repair and fill the ‘knot whole’ of my pain and give me a clearer perspective; A view where all those I see are your children too and worthy of my forgiveness as you forgive me. This I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Graham Hood