Dear Church Family –
“Forgiveness is love’s toughest job. But forgiving is where freedom and joy come from.”
Tom Dorsch shared that with us in church yesterday. Well said! Forgiveness is love’s toughest job, … but it has great rewards!
There’s a principle of life there. Often the hardest things in life are the most powerful and significant.
I was recently reminded of “The Ten Hardest Words.” The list does not include “tenebrous” (dark and gloomy), or “estivation” (slowing of activity during the summer). It’s “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Will you please forgive me?”
“I’m sorry” is the humility of seeing through the other person’s eyes. It’s the humility to set aside your own feelings and consider theirs.
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
James 5:16 - “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”
“I was wrong” is the humility of admitting that you are a sinner, and that you don’t always get things right, and that you are still learning and growing as a person.
2 Peter 3:18 - “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Proverbs 29:1 – “A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed — without remedy.”
“Will you please forgive me” is the humility to value the relationship more than your stubborn pride.
1 Peter 5:5 - “Be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Isaiah 66:2 - “…to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
God’s ways may seem unreasonable, unattractive, and impractical, but that’s the distortion of our sin nature. The truth is, God’s ways are good and right and perfect. What God requires God supplies.
There’s another principle of life: When we trust God’s grace and do what’s right even when our flesh is screaming the opposite, God pours in His grace and power.
As Tom reminded us yesterday in church, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Thanks, Emmaus Church Family, for your grace, mercy, forgiveness, and humility.
Because of the grace and mercy of Christ – Pastor Tim
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