We Need a Little Forgiveness
Forgiveness
What do you need to let go of this Christmas?
We typically think about giving and receiving during this time of year. And that’s the way it should be!
It’s so much fun to open gifts, especially from people who love you and have put a lot of thought and effort into a gift for you. And is there anything better than watching someone you care about open a gift you’ve given?
But as you think about what you want to give, and what you hope to receive, can I encourage you to also consider this question…
What do you need to let go of this Christmas?
What are you still carrying?
There’s an old story about a father and son who were out hiking together. As they traveled down the trail they came to the bank of a river. The water where they needed to cross was fairly shallow and they knew they would be able to walk across. But they met a woman there who was afraid to cross the river. Her fear made her rather upset at her situation and even angry. She didn’t know how to swim and she was concerned that if she tried to cross the river on her own the current might pull her downstream and she might not survive.
The son noticed how irritated she was and ran passed her as fast as he could as she yelled at him for no reason at all. The father, however, picked her up on his back and carried her safely across the river, then put her down on the other side.
The woman continued to be very rude. She didn’t even thank him. In fact she didn’t say anything at all.
As the father and son continued on their way, the son was filled with resentment and anger himself as he kept replaying the whole event over and over again in his mind. After several hours he couldn’t remain silent any longer. He looked at his father and said, “That woman back there at the river, she was so selfish and rude and ungrateful. Even after you carried her across the river, she didn’t even say, “Thank you!”
The father looked at his son and simply said to his son, “I put that woman down hours ago, why are you still carrying her?”
Remembering the Grace of God
Christmas is an incredible time not just to give and receive gifts, but to let go of those hurts we’ve been holding on to. To forgive those who may have hurt us or wronged us in some way.
And it’s good that we do this at Christmas because this is the time of year that we remember the story of God’s grace and God’s forgiveness. A story that started in Bethlehem where the Savior of the world was born.
Why did He come?
Because… “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3.16
God gave us His Son and He forgave our sin.
Who do you need to forgive?
What hurt are you carrying that you need to put down?
What do you need to let go of this Christmas so you can take hold of the Abundant Life God has for you?
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