God forgives us in spite of our shortcomings. As beneficiaries of this grace, we are linked to God’s transforming power. It is not something static but rather a dynamic process. The core component in this process is repentance. Repentance is grounded in forgiveness. Yet it is more than feeling bad or guilty about a wrong that we have done or about someone we have wronged. Rather it is the catalyst for changed behavior. It involves an about face, a turning away from sin and turning back to God. True contrition includes a concerted effort to keep the offending behavior from happening again, to remain connected to God.

This connection is reflected in our relationship with others, especially in our ability to forgive others. As a matter of fact, God’s forgiveness of us is contingent on our ability to forgive others. We admit this reality each time we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” To the extent that we are able to forgive others, to that extent God’s forgiveness is working through us.

Forgiving another person does not excuse that person’s abusive or wrongful behavior. When we forgive another person, we are not letting that person off the hook. It is still up to him/her to repent and make amends. What happens when we forgive someone is that we let go of the resentment and the energy attached to these feelings. In doing so, we free up our energy for more positive tasks. In like manner, we do not necessarily “forgive and forget”, as the familiar saying goes. What happens is that we remember an incident or series of incidents without the intensity associated with the memory. The more we are able to let go, the less it is a drain on our life forces.

A similar process involves the readiness of one person to apologize to another. Often one person waits for the other to make the first move. When that doesn’t happen, both can become paralyzed in his/her position. Neither is willing to say “I am sorry” until the other person takes the initiative. A stalemate results. Reconciliation does not happen. The relationship suffers.

By design we incorporate into our worship service format the process of confession and absolution. We admit to God that “we have sinned against you in thought word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.” We ask that for the sake of Jesus Christ, God “have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us.” It keeps us in that cycle of forgiveness, where we admit our shortcomings and request God’s help so that we may “delight in your will and walk in your ways.” Such is the
dynamic of forgiveness.

Ways to practice forgiveness:

1. Daily confess your sins. Open yourself up to the forgiving power of God at work in your life.
2. Be quick to apologize and make amends. Be willing to make the first move to preserve a relationship with someone important to you.
3. Let go of unresolved hurts and resentments. Free up your energy for healing and positive interactions.
4. Forgive yourself for past failures. Embrace your humanness and look to the future with hope.
5. Model forgiveness for your children. Let them see you showing forgiveness and making amends.

Affirmation: Today I will lead with forgiveness