“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…” (Matthew 26:39a KJV)
What if Jesus never left the garden?
This prayer between Jesus and God reveals his heart’s cry for another way. It also reveals he is compassionate toward our weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
At one point, the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, and part of it goes something like “… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matthew 6:12)
Forgiveness is to be a knee-jerk reaction. There is a commandment that is similar, to love your neighbor as yourself.
If pressed to forgive someone, would you cry out to God, asking for this responsibility to leave you? There are a lot of what people call unforgivable sins.
A co-worker backstabbed me.
Children are abused.
Adults are abused.
People are murdered.
Money is stolen.
The bible names the one unforgivable sin, sinning against the Holy Spirit. (Mark 3:28-30; Matthew 12:31-32)
STOP!
Before you dismiss this blog post, a gift is on the other side of forgiveness. Good that comes your way will be damaged by unforgiveness; like a limb that is infected, it spreads to the rest of the body. Unforgiveness affects all of your relationships and, eventually, your health.
Focus
Celebrating Jesus’ resurrection this Sunday reminds us of the opportunity for a full and free life. There is joy for your heart and mind when free from the weight of sin. But we must forgive others for the fullest flight possible.
Fickle
People can become offended by the simplest things. A rude driver or one not paying attention cuts us off. The post office line is just too long! There are too many people in the grocery store.
What offends you when you are short-tempered or short on time? We all have pet peeves that pop up in weak moments.
What if each unforgiven offense, or the bigger unforgivable sins, was represented by a tiny stone, filling up your heart, weighing you down? There would be less room in your heart to freely interact with others.
Do you have just a few pebbles? Maybe you can feel them jingle around as you go to work or church. Or are there so many tiny stones that it has created a great wall within your heart?
Heaven’s Perspective or Maybe I’m Wrong
Those pebbles won’t make it past the Pearly Gates. God will call you into account about them. Maybe I am wrong, but I think examining the pebbles on this side of heaven with God is a wiser choice. Remembering Jesus’ plea in the garden might make it easier too.
God, I have some pebbles in my heart. I am sorry when I treat forgiveness as an option. I don’t want to carry unforgiveness with me any longer. I am not even aware of all that I have stacked up. I forgive it all! I forgive it all, Lord. If a stone remains and festers, remind me to forgive. Show me how to remove this stone as far as the east is from the west. In You, I entrust my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Keep Walking on Mustard Seeds,
Michele Marie Weisman
Your turn. What are your thoughts about Jesus’ sacrifice and our responsibility with it?
Photo by Aditya Chinchure on Unsplash (Pebbles)
Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash (Heart on glass)
Photo by Tim Wilson on Unsplash (flying duck)
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash (laptop)
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay (clouds and door)
Until I took a hard look at forgiveness for my podcast in the Lord’s Prayer, it was a subject I avoided like the dentist. It was needed, but don’t go unless you have to. Now I realize how important this subject is to be truly emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy!
Writing on forgiveness, a subject I thought I knew forward and backwards, landed me on my backside these past weeks. I appreciate knowing it was not an easy walk for you either. Thanks so much for stopping by—and I wonder if our next topic will overlap as well. God is in every coincidence. ✝️🕊
After being deeply hurt at work and then church, a mentor of mine brought me through a deep study on the root and consequences of unforgiveness. Your word picture of carrying pebbles of unforgiveness around in our hearts is a great reminder I’ll hold on to. Anytime I feel a rattling in my heart, I’ll know it’s time to forgive. Thank you.
Suzette, thanks for stopping by. The study you did on forgiveness sounds amazing. And what a great reminder that we need the encouragement and help of others with forgiveness, as your mentor helped you. 🙏
Such a powerful analogy of the unforgiven offense represented by a pebble filling up your heart and weighing you down. I agree that you release the control and power that the offending person/situation has over your life. Thank you for blessing us with your wisdom and eloquent writing!❤️🙏🏼
Thanks so much for stopping by. I am heartfelt in my gratitude by you.