Love and Forgiveness
- Patty Sepety
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
My mom was known as someone you did not cross. She could hold a grudge. One day her brother-in-law arrived without calling. He was just as tough mother. He did not come inside but stood at the door. When mom answered he apologized humbly and profusely. We had never seen this side of him. Then he left as suddenly as he came. We heard him so we asked what had happened. She had no clue what he had done to make him think he offended her. She just graciously accepted his apology.
Another time I was having a struggle forgiving. I read passages. I prayed. I had to forgive several people including someone who had committed a crime against someone I loved. I also had to forgive myself for not intervening and handling it better. How could I? Would I ever get over this? There were constant reminders. While I was still working on it, I changed churches. At my new church I met a man with a paralysed arm and hand. Later I learned he had been shot by a crazy neighbour. Now he had a constant reminder of the evil committed against him. But he was not angry or bitter. He sang in the choir, and I liked being around him. He was funny.
“Working on it” did not work for me. Sometimes we must acknowledge that we need help with what seems impossible. It is only then that God can pick us up, dust us off and clean away the bitterness. Eventually I stopped dwelling on the issue. I stopped thinking about what had happened all the time. Now when I do remember, I realize I can use what was meant for harm to the good of others. I understand that we cannot be loving, if we are not forgiving. Unforgiveness is a barrier.
As an English tutor I know first, we need to truly understand what those words mean. Love is not a fuzzy feeling; it is a character God is developing in us.
Here is how the Bible talks about the character of a mature believer:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, (Love is forgiving) 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it [a]keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails;
If my story steps on your toes, before you get irritated, I know how it feels. I used to get mad at preachy people because I felt no one could understand what I was experiencing. I am not Ms. Perfect who has it all together. But I have come to see that Love and Forgiveness go hand in hand.
This is a lifelong lesson, and it reminds me of a cute song I once sang at a retreat.
He's Still Working On Me
The Hemphills
He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be'
Cause He's still workin' on me
He's still working on meTo make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be'Cause
He's still workin' on me
There really ought to be a sign upon my heart
Don't judge him yet, there's an unfinished part
But I'll be better just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master's loving hands
He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be'Cause
He's still workin' on meIn the mirror of His word
Reflections that I see
Makes me wonder why
He never gave up on me
But He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray
Remember He's the potter, I'm the clay
He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be'Cause
He's still workin' on me
He's still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient
He must be'Cause
He's still workin' on me
Written by: Joel Hemphill
Album: The Best of The Hemphills
Released: 2007
Lyrics provided by Musixmatch
If you really need a cheer up check this out: Here is the kid version on YouTube:
Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Have a blessed Easter!
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