Forgiveness is so easy on paper.
A good friend of mine hurt me recently. I am not sure if he did it on purpose, or if he was just joking... I rarely get offended, but I felt like he was attacking me for my beliefs, and it hurt more than I expected.
I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not. If he was just kidding, couldn't he tell that I was getting offended by his words? I am sure my facial expression gave my feelings away, but he just wouldn't stop. I don't think it would be so bad if he was just a stranger to me. It's always harder to forgive the ones I care about; because I feel like they should know better.
Tough questions:
- Do I forgive him IF he didn't mean to hurt me?
- What if he DID mean to hurt me? Then what?
Well, the Bible is pretty clear about the answer. Forgiving is not really about saying that what he did was right or wrong, it's about saying that I won't let him hold this power over me. In times like this, Jesus' words on the cross sound so MUCH more powerful:
"Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."And they divided up his clothes by casting lots" Luke 23:24
Words to live by... not simply read and forget.
EED
PS: Incidentally, I am kind of glad this happened...I believe it was a direct answer to a specific prayer request.
A good friend of mine hurt me recently. I am not sure if he did it on purpose, or if he was just joking... I rarely get offended, but I felt like he was attacking me for my beliefs, and it hurt more than I expected.
I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not. If he was just kidding, couldn't he tell that I was getting offended by his words? I am sure my facial expression gave my feelings away, but he just wouldn't stop. I don't think it would be so bad if he was just a stranger to me. It's always harder to forgive the ones I care about; because I feel like they should know better.
Tough questions:
- Do I forgive him IF he didn't mean to hurt me?
- What if he DID mean to hurt me? Then what?
Well, the Bible is pretty clear about the answer. Forgiving is not really about saying that what he did was right or wrong, it's about saying that I won't let him hold this power over me. In times like this, Jesus' words on the cross sound so MUCH more powerful:
"Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."And they divided up his clothes by casting lots" Luke 23:24
Words to live by... not simply read and forget.
EED
PS: Incidentally, I am kind of glad this happened...I believe it was a direct answer to a specific prayer request.
2 comments:
Well, I know you're just thinking things through in your blog, and not so much asking for advice, but have you thought about letting him know that what he said was hurtful? Or maybe asking him if he realized it hurt you? If you've forgiven him, he'll hopefully realize this if/when you talk to him and won't feel like you're attacking him back.
Who knows, it might help your friendship and may even open doors to further discussions about your faith.
(I'm speaking from experience, btw...)
Cyndi,
Thank you for your comment. I was actually planning on talking to him yesterday, and let him know how hurtful his comments were. He wasn't at work of course, and I am not scheduled to work for a few days... I am still thinking of talking to him.
I couldn't really get into the details of the story and why I think it was a God thing, but I can share it by email: (elomeyram@gmail.com) or the next time I see you, maybe.
PS: I do appreciate the advice... btw. Feel free to chime in anytime :)
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