From Bitterness to Forgiveness

Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

The love of God draws people for many reasons from where they have settled into their familiar discomfort, and encourages them to move into a new walk of life.

Part of the draw that people feel is acceptance; who among us does not desire to be accepted? We can look back in our life and see the sometimes extraordinary lengths we would go to for the sake of being accepted by those we admired.

To be accepted by God is to find and receive forgiveness. Once we understand the fact that sin is not what we do but what we are, then we can see our need for the salvation, the redemption, the cleansing that Jesus paid for and has freely given to us. There is no other way that we can come near to the holy and righteous God and receive the love He has for us.

Just as Judas' dishonesty and greed, his love of money, gained a foothold in his heart, even in the presence of Jesus' ministry, His teachings, both public and private, His prayers, His miracles, His loving acceptance and compassion for each who came to Him, and that sin grew to the point of betrayal by one who was counted as Jesus' close acquaintance, likewise in our lives we can encounter loss of relationship, what we may feel as betrayal, an attack by one closest, to whom we are most vulnerable.

From this, bitterness rivals love; rejection battles acceptance. The pain and harm can become our focus to the exclusion of all else, or we can turn our gaze upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and let the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.  Only in praising Him can we find the strength to release the pain. Only in knowing Him can we find the hope to look forward to His promises. Only in loving Him can we find the faith to see the good that He can bring from all that our lives contain.

The fact of what has happened remains unchanged. The intention behind what was done may or may not be repented of and will determine whether forgiveness can be offered. But the result of what was done, the consequences of what took place, when given to God and released to His power, can always be made into a blessing for us as well as for others. What Joseph suffered at the hands of his brothers, what Jesus endured at the hands of His people, what we have experienced from the words and actions of those we trusted, when turned over to God, always shows His victory and triumph over hate and wickedness by bringing good from what was intended for evil.

Joseph's brothers certainly felt fear when they realized his power over them, but repentance was also there in Judah's words and actions before he knew who Joseph was. Joseph was able to offer forgiveness where repentance was expressed.

Jesus asked the Father to forgive the people based on their ignorance, and offered forgiving love and acceptance to the thief who acknowledged his need. Judas felt revulsion at what the Temple leaders did, but no record of repentance was made, and his actions did not demonstrate it.

Wounded warriors can have mercy when appropriate; healers who have been ill can have compassion where needed. We can rest in God knowing that He can bring the fruit of the Spirit into our lives in a richer and more abundant way when the soil we grow in is enriched by the mercy which our experiences draw from His throne and improved by the grace which has been lavished on our pain and into our lives. Let the love of God dig out any root of bitterness and bring out the sweetness of the Spirit in love and acceptance and mercy, knowing His hand conquers evil and harm, transforming it into good for many.

Gracious Lord, You are the transforming God. You convert our hearts, transform our minds, change our lives, and You do it with love. Thank You that we can go forth with that same transforming power and bring light and joy and love to others who are hurting as we have, and show them how You can remove the darkness and the pain they have lived in, bringing them into the fellowship and acceptance of the family of God.

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