By Jessica Brodie
Have you ever done something rotten, mean, or insulting to someone else and you felt certain they would never speak to you again?
Recently, we put claw caps on all three of our cats. They have been clawing our furniture to shreds in spite of the many cat scratching posts and catnip we provide. Nothing worked. Finally, I asked the vet what we should do, and she suggested claw caps, which are caps that you put on your cats’ claws to prevent them from scratching.
This sounds like a great idea in theory, but our cats already despise having their nails clipped. We knew this would be a stressful situation. So on Saturday we all sat down to do this as a team effort—me, my husband, and two of our kids.
We got it done, but it was a grueling ordeal, one I hope never to deal with again … except we’re supposed to do this every month from here on out.
Our cats were so upset over what they endured that they all ran off to hide somewhere in our home, and I didn’t see them for a couple of hours.
Later that afternoon, when I saw them sleeping on the screened-in patio, I decided to approach them.
Carefully I stepped outside and bid them hello, gently holding out my hand. And what do you know? They all came right over and rubbed up against me! All was forgiven, and we were back to normal. I was pleasantly surprised and frankly really touched that they didn’t seem to hold a grudge.
As I walked back into the house, it occurred to me that this is exactly the way God treats us. We mess up, fall out of alignment with him, sin in big ways and small, and sometimes without ever meaning to. We create trauma and strife on a spiritual level. And yet God forgives us … over and over again. No matter what.
It’s astounding! Sometimes we do really rotten things, too—things that hurt God, things that hurt other people or ourselves (which, make no mistake, also hurts God). Yet when we repent, it’s all instantly washed away. We are forgiven.
It doesn’t stop there, of course. We’re supposed to pass that same forgiveness on. Just as we have been forgiven, we’re supposed to forgive others. We’re not supposed to hold grudges or put up walls but instead offer perfect forgiveness in the spirit of agape love, just as God has done to us.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean someone in an abused relationship is supposed to go back to their abuser. Boundaries and self-protection are important, and we are beloved by God. But in our hearts, we can forgive wrongs that were done to us. We can move on and not hold things against that person forever and ever.
Just as my cats endured at my hands what they felt was probably wrong, they forgave me and moved on. That’s what God, our Heavenly Father, does for us.
What a beautiful gift that is! What a joy that our past and our wrongdoings no longer define us.
If you are holding a grudge against someone else, set it down. Forgive and move on. It’s not optional—Jesus commanded us to do this. As he said in the Sermon on the Mount: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).
Likewise, if you are holding on to your own past or recent sins that you confessed and repented of, but you just can’t seem to forgive yourself … if you are still beating yourself up, certain God could never forgive of a wretch like you, that your sins and your situation are somehow “different,” take heart. Know that God extends grace, and that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus when we repent and believe (Romans 8:38-39).
Amen, and thanks be to God!
A prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the extravagant, wildly generous, completely loving grace and mercy that you extend to me and to all of your children. We don’t deserve it, but you give it anyway. Help me have the strength to forgive myself and forgive others in that same spirit of grace and mercy. Amen.
~
If you know someone who would benefit from reading this blog, please share this with them:
Have you read my novel The Memory Garden yet? More than 75 five-star reviews and counting!
Thanks to my Patreon sponsors: Matt Brodie, Emily Dodd, Jane, Marcia Hatcher, Frances Nwobi, Kathleen Patella, Billy Robinson, Yancy Rose, and Lanny Turner.
SHARE TODAY’S BLOG ON SOCIAL MEDIA: CLICK HERE OR THE SOCIAL LINKS BELOW.