Forgiveness 2/20/13

Today was the passage in Matthew where Peter asks how many times he should forgive a brother. Boy, was there some discussion at the table over this one. I explained to the kids that what Jesus was saying was not to forgive exactly 77 times. The idea was to not keep a record of the times someone has wronged you. I gave them the example of a parent punishing a child for their sin and then loving on that child after the disciple has been administered. We do that over and over as a parent. We also do it as siblings. We have had a lot of bickering going on here at the Trautman house. I have been trying to deal with it and it just keeps getting worse. I was able to use the verse today because one of the big things that the kids do is bringing up the wrong things that the other siblings do. I want them to be able to truly forgive one another. I guess the danger as a mom is making a child ask forgiveness and the other one to say that they have forgiven without a real heart change. As long as they say the words we tend to be okay and move on. There is a danger in that. We do not get them to have a real heart of forgiveness. I need to be more diligent in dealing with their hearts and true forgiveness rather than just saying the words. I need to do this more myself too. I need to have more of a heart of forgiveness. I had to deal with this big time when I was 18. I was hurt bad when I was 14 and the bitterness invaded my life. The problem in my mind was that the people who had hurt me vanished. I never saw them again. It is hard to seek forgiveness when you have no one to seek. It took four years for me to learn to forgive them and deal with all the bitterness that had taken over my life. I have to this day never been able to talk to those people. I learned what forgiveness can do in my life. It freed me from the pain and bitterness. The opposite is a life of pain because I pushed every one away. I was lonely and miserable until I forgave. Oh, it was a sweet day. I still remember that day I released the pain and was able to forgive. My mom said that she knew the moment she saw me that I had gotten things right with the Lord. She said my face was at peace. Bitterness affects you spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I know from personal experience the effects of not forgiving and I choose the forgive. Always!!!

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