THE FACE OF LOVE CHAPTER 10 FORGIVENESS

THE FACE OF LOVE

CHAPTER 10

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act we often expect when we have wronged someone. Even when we have severely interrupted and disrupted the lives of others, we most often feel entitled to forgiveness so that we can move on with our lives.

As Jesus hung upon the cross dying, He asked His Father to forgive them, for they know not what they do. These words were not out of desperation, or due to the agony of physical torture, they were the cure to these things. These words came from Jesus's heart which had overcome the world and at that time was overcoming the pain and sentence of death that had been cast upon Him by His people. He wasn't identifying individuals or a group of people who were responsible for nailing Him to the cross. Jesus was not fighting flesh. His words were not out of malice.

As we undergo scrutiny, opinions, judgements, doubts, negativity and even pain, that will be cast upon us also, we must cast aside our feelings of entitlement in the world. We must cast aside our childish feelings and mind. We may feel we deserve and are entitled to the same considerations, expectations, aspirations, and feelings as those who are of the world as long as we say we love God. We may feel that believing in God entitles us to all of the things of this world, including the world's lifestyles and characters. We may feel that we are entitled to love, respect, attention, especially from those we consider to be our loved ones and family. However, our entitlement is within the Kingdom of God, according to our faith, holiness and righteousness. Just as Satan tempted Jesus, we, too, are tempted through our pride and feelings. We, too, must choose that which we wish to inherit, darkness, or, eternal life in the Kingdom of God. If we cling to the flesh and the world, what can we expect to inherit?

In our moments of pain or struggle, our heart is longing for something specific...love and understanding, from those whom we feel should love and understand us. We don't see this as entitlement because we're walking in the flesh, unable to see who we are. We are unable to see our attitude and what we are giving others. In the flesh, we can't be like Jesus or see beyond the flesh. In those moments, our heart cannot say to the mind, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Forgiveness begins with a changed heart. It is the cure for what ails us in this world. There is no limit to the amount of times or instances in which you can and should apply forgiveness. There is no set dosage or potency. Forgiveness works no matter how it is taken, for forgiveness is part of God's Character. I emphasize God's Character because it is a spiritual entity which can be applied medicinally. How does forgiveness work? Does it make the people you think need to change, change? It depends on their heart. What forgiveness does do is change you for the better.

How did I come to write about forgiveness today? This morning, when God woke me up, after planting a seed in my heart, He was doing what I always ask Him to do, "Lord, please fix my heart, cleanse and protect my heart. Take out anything that is unpleasing to you." Therefore, God planted the seed and said, "Arise, and be healed!" As I slept, He had been watching over me and searching my heart. He found some pain there I had been harboring, which prevented me from knowing the truth and being set free. You see, once you've truly been born again, growth isn't about God not being through with you. Growth is about freedom, because, Jesus said, "It is finished." Truth lies within us in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). In order to be changed, or, transformed, we just need to be freed from the bondage that sin has placed us in to know Truth and live abundantly. The scales or the veil is removed from our eyes. We are unblinded from darkness. Therefore, we're not waiting on God to finish us. We've already been made whole. God is waiting on us to surrender and let Truth, Holiness, and Righteousness rule over our lives! Again, to make it plain, God doesn't have to keep coming back to fix us. He never left us, as He said He would never leave us. If God be in us, what greater thing can He give us? Naked and alone, we still have all, for God is all in all.

As Believers, we sometimes don't want to believe God is our all in all. We still want to be the victim and find someone to blame. We look to the world to give us things to validate us, to make us feel special, and to make us feel that we have purpose. We're ready to so-called recreate ourselves before we know who we really are. How can we know who we are until we have been freed from our pride, pain, and sense of entitlement? Shall we be like babies the rest of our lives, only concerned about our own survival and happiness?

God blessed me to go to sleep last night and dream. In my dreams, He could see my pain. So, in the morning, He said, "FORGIVE! Rise and be healed!"

Forgiveness, is not something that we can apply every morning and refresh ourselves with when we feel it wearing off. No, forgiveness is the understanding we need to apply to live, survive and overcome in this world, in order that we can endure and faint not. Therefore, we must live forgiving  people everyday, everyone around us, our family, friends, co-workers, classmates, politicians, leaders, clergy, people we see on television and in the news...everyone. We must understand their beginnings. We don't have to know all about their life, in order to understand their beginnings. Knowing their behavior that set them upon the wrong path is enough to show us where mercy needs to be applied. Knowing that they lack faith is enough for mercy to be applied. Knowing that they do not know God and His Son is enough for mercy to be applied, and that mercy must be applied with unconditional love.

We must forgive to endure this race, We want our endurance to be filled with good fruit. We don't want to be weighed down by the cruelty and callousness of the world, so, we must let go of that sense of entitlement to more and better, better things, better days, better times, better lifestyles, better people, more money, etc. Feeling entitled to more and better is amongst those heavy burdens we must lay down because they prevent us from following Jesus and taking on the character of God. Where do we think our discontent comes from? It doesn't come from God. Wanting to blame others doesn't come from God. Yet, we find ourselves running after the world instead of holiness and righteousness thinking ourselves entitled to everything the world has. Shouldn't we place that fervor, that emotional intensity upon desiring the things of the Kingdom of God?

Be mindful that just because you're a Child of God, doesn't mean everybody is supposed to understand you and treat you right. You gave that up when you took up your cross. Ask yourself how much that means to you, or, would you rather gain the world and lose your soul?

So, what is God asking of us, if we can't expect the things and feelings from others that we feel entitled to? God is asking us to trust Him. He's not asking us to quit whining and suck it up because the circumstances or relationship is what it is. To know what it is, you must know the Truth (God). God is asking you to look to Heavenly things, things that are everlasting. Remember that the things of this world will pass away. God is asking you to hunger for holiness and righteousness in the way that you treat others and in everything that you do. How can you blame others for things in your life and still say that God fulfills all of your needs? God is asking you to forgive.

"But, how Lord," you may ask. "How do I forgive?"

His answer, "Humble yourself. Pride is getting in the way."

One cannot truly forgive others, if they have not humbled themselves. Humility begins in the heart. A humble heart is needed to serve God. If we will not forgive others, God will not forgive us.

"You are trying to apply the Principles of God to those whose minds follow after carnal things."

"Yes, Father, I realize that I have been doing that. It's not that my hope or my love is in vain. In this thing, this instance, I simply have not put my hope and belief in Truth. Forgive me, please."

1 John 2
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

your humbled servant, by the Grace and Mercy of Jehovah God

Mishael