Forgiveness Works! You are kind, God! Please have pity on me. You are always merciful! Please wipe away my sins. Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt. Psalm 51:1-2 I cannot begin to think how many times I have prayed this prayer. We have all sinned against God. The word of God tells us that if we sin against God that we must pray and ask for forgiveness and it will be done. Sounds too easy, right? When I was a kid I would get in trouble a lot! And once I realized that I did something wrong—something that really hurt someone's feelings—I had to ask for forgiveness from that person. Even after I apologized, some people just wouldn't let go of what I had done. They would hold it over my head to make me feel even worse about it (I have to admit that I am guilty of doing exactly the same thing to others). We say that we forgive a person, but we don't really forgive them. Instead, what we are doing is just forgiving them for that one moment. The grievance is still in our minds and hearts and we hold on to it with both hands. When we do something wrong to God and we ask for forgiveness, it's forgiven. Bam! That's all. God will not hold the grievance over ourheads. God loves us so much that when we do something bad and then ask for forgiveness from the bottom of our hearts, he forgives us. Lent is a season of not keeping score of the wrongs of others. It is easier to ask others not to keep a scorecard on our wrongdoing, but it is very difficult not to keep score on others. It is a challenge to give up holding grudges for Lent and to practice forgiveness. So the next time someone hurts you and then asks for forgiveness, forgive them and try not to hold it against them. Once they see that you're doing that, perhaps they will try and do the same.Kelsey Chandler
Prayer: Father God, please help me to be a more forgiving person. Grant me patience and love. Thank you Lord for your everlasting love that you have shown to me. Help me now to show that forgiving love to others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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