A Way of Choice
Quote from Forum Archives on January 30, 2004, 5:19 pmPosted by: Asn <Asn@...>
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. Mark 11:25 AmplifiedThe quotation on my desk is challenging, to say the least. In all honesty, I too often fail miserably at achieving its direction, yet I cherish it nonetheless. It speaks to the person I want to be; the person I strive to become through God's grace. It is prized as much for the perspective of the person who said it as for the words themselves. The man was Victor Frankl, and the credit line reads simply, "survivor of Nazi concentration camp" - certainly one of the (if not the exemplar) worst era of human history. The quote is this: "The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."
Much too often we react to the moment instead of choosing. Someone hurts us and we lash out in anger. Our trust gets shattered and we vow never to be so vulnerable again. Our dreams get crushed and* well, you get the picture. Feelings get hurt and walls go up. We've all been there, done that, got the T-shirt. But much like Victor Frankl's quotation, Jesus offers a different way - a way of choice. I can choose to forgive. I can choose to release the evildoer from the consequences of his wrong. Quite honestly, I don't want to. Everything inside of me screams, "They're guilty!" Jesus softly whispers, "Yes. Forgive them anyway." Unforgiveness is a ball-and-chain that restrains the unforgiver rather than the unforgiven. Set yourself free!
Father, I admit that it's difficult to forgive and even harder to let it go. But you have called me to forgiveness not with a suggestion, but a command. Please, Father, help me to choose to forgive those who have hurt me and to release them so that I can walk in the freedom Jesus purchased for me on the cross. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Posted by: Asn <Asn@...>
The quotation on my desk is challenging, to say the least. In all honesty, I too often fail miserably at achieving its direction, yet I cherish it nonetheless. It speaks to the person I want to be; the person I strive to become through God's grace. It is prized as much for the perspective of the person who said it as for the words themselves. The man was Victor Frankl, and the credit line reads simply, "survivor of Nazi concentration camp" - certainly one of the (if not the exemplar) worst era of human history. The quote is this: "The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."
Much too often we react to the moment instead of choosing. Someone hurts us and we lash out in anger. Our trust gets shattered and we vow never to be so vulnerable again. Our dreams get crushed and* well, you get the picture. Feelings get hurt and walls go up. We've all been there, done that, got the T-shirt. But much like Victor Frankl's quotation, Jesus offers a different way - a way of choice. I can choose to forgive. I can choose to release the evildoer from the consequences of his wrong. Quite honestly, I don't want to. Everything inside of me screams, "They're guilty!" Jesus softly whispers, "Yes. Forgive them anyway." Unforgiveness is a ball-and-chain that restrains the unforgiver rather than the unforgiven. Set yourself free!
Father, I admit that it's difficult to forgive and even harder to let it go. But you have called me to forgiveness not with a suggestion, but a command. Please, Father, help me to choose to forgive those who have hurt me and to release them so that I can walk in the freedom Jesus purchased for me on the cross. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.