I have occasionally prayed, "Lord, you said to pray for and love our enemies, and, in obedience to Your command, I lift up this person. Please bring my feelings into line with Your will."
I think pastor Doug is very on point..... :) and laid out my own forgiveness understanding from the word.....🧐😮 However..... I think I would kindly challenge the idea of forgive and forget..... That is not what God always does right? I noticed in my yearly reading plan this year, how many times God brings up Moses and Aaron's sin and reminds them of the consequences of their sin. (Not getting to see the promised land, yet they are still in God's family) There are consequences in this life for sin....and if you say, cheat of your wife, she might divorce you....or separate seperate from you.....and oftentimes sadly, men (and women) need to be reminded of the REASON for the relational consequences for their sin. Not to throw it in their face, but because it gets swept under the rug, minimized as time goes by and a forgiving person continues in genuine kindness, but the offender has done nothing to begin to demonstrate trustworthiness. (Oftentimes, the exact opposite) Words of repentance do not equal reconciliation...trust must be restored..and the onus is on the offender.... I would also argue that reconciliation is not even required, though, yes, it would be wonderful......and the highest and best aim. God is in the business of forgiving, but he is not all love and nothing else....no boundaries....no consequences. Just a few thoughts
I have occasionally prayed, "Lord, you said to pray for and love our enemies, and, in obedience to Your command, I lift up this person. Please bring my feelings into line with Your will."
Another pure gold grand slam of a sermon by brother Doug
Ouch! And thank you, I have much to ask for and to give.
...Volcano of ingratitude!.. 😢
Thank you. I was needing this in my life.
Such an encouragement
Wonderful as always, Pastor Doug.
I think pastor Doug is very on point..... :) and laid out my own forgiveness understanding from the word.....🧐😮
However..... I think I would kindly challenge the idea of forgive and forget..... That is not what God always does right? I noticed in my yearly reading plan this year, how many times God brings up Moses and Aaron's sin and reminds them of the consequences of their sin.
(Not getting to see the promised land, yet they are still in God's family) There are consequences in this life for sin....and if you say, cheat of your wife, she might divorce you....or separate seperate from you.....and oftentimes sadly, men (and women) need to be reminded of the REASON for the relational consequences for their sin. Not to throw it in their face, but because it gets swept under the rug, minimized as time goes by and a forgiving person continues in genuine kindness, but the offender has done nothing to begin to demonstrate trustworthiness. (Oftentimes, the exact opposite)
Words of repentance do not equal reconciliation...trust must be restored..and the onus is on the offender....
I would also argue that reconciliation is not even required, though, yes, it would be wonderful......and the highest and best aim.
God is in the business of forgiving, but he is not all love and nothing else....no boundaries....no consequences.
Just a few thoughts
Mic 🎤 drop
How do i handle people who offer obvious fake general apologies?
This makes sense to me in relation to Christian brothers and sisters, but what about non Christians? Is it the same?