Following Jesus with Our Whole Selves - Forgiveness: Absorbing the Pain [Ryan Ashley]

Following Jesus with Our Whole Selves

Forgiveness: Absorbing the Pain

February 14th, 2021

Matthew 18:21-35, Luke 23:32-34, Ephesians 4:30-5:2

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR A CHRISTIAN TO BE SPIRITUALLY MATURE WHILE REMAINING EMOTIONALLY IMMATURE.
Peter Scazzero 

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Luke 23:32-34

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Ephesians 4:30-5:2

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The personal act to release the one who sinned against me from my personal right to collect on the moral debt (to pay them back) for their offense, giving it over to God for His justice and mercy.

Instead of giving them back the pain they gave me, I absorb the pain into myself with God’s help.

“Any pain or tension we do not transform we will transmit. In the face of jealousy, anger, bitterness, and hatred we are to be like water purifiers; holding the toxins inside of us and giving back only the pure water.”

Ronald Rolheiser – Sacred Fire

“As we age, we can begin to trim down our spiritual vocabulary and eventually we can get it down to just three words: forgive, forgive, forgive. The major task psychologically and spiritually for the second half of our lives is to forgive. We need to forgive those who have hurt us, forgive ourselves for our own failings, forgive life for not being fully fair, and forgive God for seemingly being so indifferent to our wounds. We need to do that before we die because ultimately there is only one moral imperative, not to die an angry bitter person but to die with a warm heart.”

Ronald Rolheiser – Sacred Fire