Confessions of a Sinner. Forgiveness Given, Freedom Found

I went back to this to find some definitions from a Christian man’s perspective:

To forgive: “To pardon; to remit; as an offense or debt; to overlook an offense, and treat the offender as not guilty.”

To Repent:  “To feel pain, sorrow, or regret for something done or spoken; as to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend.  A person repents only of what he ha said or done.”

to Apologize: “to make excuse for”

There have been, on occasion, (ok, truly, way more times than I’d like to admit) times that I have been ugly.  That I have said things or done things that have hurt others.  I have sinned.  There have been times others have said or done things that have hurt me.

Sometimes I don’t readily forgive as I should.  Sometimes I don’t readily repent as I should, as a side note, do you notice the definition for apologize?  “Make an EXCUSE.” No!  That’s not what I wanted.  I want to feel pain, sorrow or regret at what I’ve done!

Tweet this: That’s not what I wanted. I want to feel pain, sorrow or regret at what I’ve done!
Recently, I was given a challenge of sorts, from God?  Could have been. But it was something very clear.

Maybe I had not fully forgiven some folks that had offended me in my life.

So I made a list.

I wrote:

I forgive ________ (entered their name) for __________. (entered offense)

Friends, that list is pretty lengthy.

I did this because of what we did with Malachi many years ago,

I transcribed a letter written to his birth-mother, A letter forgiving her.

And he was FREE!

He was free of anger!  Anger so deep.  Anger you can’t imagine.  Especially for a 3-year-old.  He’d had it pretty much since birth.

I long to be FREE!

I want to find freedom.

Oh, not that I don’t have it, to a degree.

But I want to find FULL, AMAZING Freedom.

I long to put away bitterness

I long for my heart to be free

So I forgive and I’m forgiven.

“forgive, and you will be forgiven” Luke 6:37

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”  Matthew 6:14

And freedom is found.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”  John 8:36 ESV

Shane and Christy

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