I was thinking about forgiveness from Sarah's thread in WtW and this is a humble response, I hope from the Spirit of God.

I realised that forgiveness is something that 'we' often cannot do ourselves. I thought about how I have forgiven my husband and his partner and although I have forgiven them in many ways, I still don't think it is quite complete and something I have prayed about.

This is what I wrote in my journal this morning:

I, in myself, am unable to forgive, release and restore fully after such a crushing blow. It is only Christ in me who can do that.
It's no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives in me" (Gal 2:20)
If I am dead and Christ is alive, so it is that I cannot forgive (for I am dead) but Jesus can (for he is alive in me). It is not I who forgive but Christ in me
All I need do is ask him to forgive through me - to let his forgiveness extend from me.

It is not so much that he helps me to forgive but that he forgives in and through me as I submit to him and allow more of him and less of me.

That is the cross I must take up daily. To die to self that he might live in me - by death of assertion of my strength to do (for what strength is that at all) and by submission to his life, strength and love in me.

It is subtle because my heart, body, mind and mouth are the instrument of his love and forgiveness but it is not my strength that does it - it is HIS, alive in me.
I think this is what James 2:18 is talking about "...Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do". He did not say his deeds showed you his ability to do the right thing, he said his deeds showed his faith. It was not his strength and ability that produced the deeds - it was his faith!! and through context of scripture, I believe his faith is in the life of Jesus in him to extend out of him and into action.

Some other scripture to meditate on

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philip 2:12-13)

It is him who gives us the will and the power to act. It is for us, in humility, to submit to his control and his life within us, asking him to give us the desire to want to do his will and the strength in Christ to do it.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was in me" (1Cor 15:10)

"To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me" (Col 1:29)

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:30-31)

Just as we receive our salvation by grace, so we also live by grace and the life that is within us - JESUS.

No matter what he calls us to do, we cannot muster up the ability to do it of ourselves, we can only submit to the life of Christ in us and ask that his strength and power be manifest in us, in the desire and ability to do his will. As we do that we will find that we will be changed with ever increasing glory into image of Christ.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" 2Cor 4:4

"...to him be glory for ever and ever! Amen" (Rev 1:6)

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Wow, I truly felt the Holy Spirit when I read that, Hope!! :bow:

Thanks for sharing, every word spoke loudly to me...... :hug:

Thanks for sharing that :)

Wow! That's powerful!

I hear about forgiveness all the time in my prison ministries. Particularly interesting is the Bridges to Life program where a crime victim (or family member) goes to meet with inmates for a prescribed fourteen-week program. During this time, the discussion turns from an inmate not caring about his/her victim into an emotional outpouring that includes the inmate forgiving the victim and family for hating him/her. It's hard to describe.

You are absolutely right. Without Christ's presence, we are completely incapable of forgiving. Without Him, we are incapable of loving others (even ourselves) enough to admit someone may need forgiveness.

Thanks Hope :o :thumbsup:

It was on my heart and seemed right to share, so it's so good to see God using his stuff :thumbsup:

Clay, you must see some pretty amazing stuff in the prisons. I really admire your calling and heart to work there.