POST
107
ARE WE FORGIVEN?
Doing a bit of de-cluttering this summer, I ran
across a one-week devotional that I had written for a Vacation Bible School event
many years ago. Topics explored covered
Trust, Giving, Serving, Hope, and Forgiving.
One continued to keep my
attention for a number of days: forgiveness. It’s a common element within the entire
recovery process. Within the 12
Steps program, forgiving speaks loud and clear during Step 5: making
amends. Perhaps, certain others may
never forgive us … but we can
explore, find, and experience the relief that comes when we make room in our
minds and emotions to process hurts and harms in order to attain more peace
within. The following is this devotional
… it’s as fresh to me today as it was decades ago!
“I’m
mad! I’m mad too! My mommy’s going to beat up your mommy! No, she isn’t, ‘cause my mommy’s going to
beat up your mommy first! The
two four-year old girls took one more angry look at one another and then each
ran home crying.
Do these words sound comical to us? Well, how about the following
statements? I’ll never forget what (s)he did. (S)he hurt me too much. I’ll never forgive him (her). Sound familiar? These are words often used by adults. Sometimes, I’ll hear snatches of similar
conversations in restaurants, meetings, or doctors’ offices. Always there’s a firmness in the voice – an
air of finality: that’s it; subject is
over!
The act of forgiving is good for us – Jesus had
clear advice about it. Forgiveness ends
grudges [at least, from one person’s perspective]. It
gives us another chance to add happier [and healthier] thoughts to our
minds. It helps reduce the negative
feelings we may have lived with continuously.
Sometimes, forgiveness takes awhile to achieve – possibly
many years. When we remember that God
forgives us, then it can be easier for us to forgive others. If we continue to work on this, we will find
that – over time – blessings will come with forgiving.”
Reflecting on what I wrote years ago, I ponder the
original title. Are we forgiven? At times, there seems to be a block in
the way, even to approach the idea of forgiving someone in our lives. Possibly, we have, knowingly or unknowingly,
placed ourselves in the permanent seat of blame within a certain
situation. Yes, perhaps, we truly
are/were at fault. Then too, we might
never have been to blame; but our being victimized has played tricks on the
memories - and we point the shame finger at ourselves. This is where Step 2 can enter: Came to
believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to a normal way of
thinking and living. (Gamblers Anonymous) This struggle to forgive, sometimes blanketed
by shame and blame, somehow gets relegated
only to us. Instead, these are the
circumstances to call upon the greater Power to grant us insight and wisdom -
and patience with ourselves to grow and learn from the negative experiences. It
is essential that we realize – and accept – that we do not have to rely solely
on our own power to enter into the process of forgiveness.
As we turn our
will and our lives over to the care of his Power greater than ourselves (Step 3: Gamblers Anonymous), we become
prepared to face our individual selves and make a moral and financial inventory (Step 4: Gamblers Anonymous) Whether the offense(s) was/were truly ours OR
brought upon us, the task of forgiveness
invites and challenges us to see beyond the present.
Are we forgiven?
How
is the Power greater than ourselves leading you in this process?
For
what help have you asked this Power?
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
For
more information on problem gambling and recovery issues, visit:
