Tuesday, November 17, 2009

This is the time of year where we all focus on things for which we are most thankful. I’m thankful for so much, but mostly for forgiveness.

I just returned from a girl’s beach getaway and had some time for rest, relaxation, fun and reflection. It was just me and my lifelong best friend, Debbi. I’m sure that our relationship is special. We were born 9 days apart and were together in the church nursery since we were babies. Even when my family moved out of state for 6 years, when we returned, our families just picked up where we had left off. Debbi and I attended Sunday school, GA’s, and later went on youth retreats, attended the same high school, and at one point even dated best friends. By our late teens things began to change. Debbi had a serious boyfriend and got engaged. We had a falling out, and frankly, not so much in common anymore. Regrettably, I didn’t attend my best friend’s wedding.

Some years later, I made contact, and we visited with each other. We now each had a child who was the same age. We were still living in very different worlds – but it wasn’t so much our circumstances that distanced us as it was unresolved business – or in Christian vernacular, unresolved forgiveness. We caused each other some hurt and never took the time to ask each other for forgiveness. I tried to gloss things over and be friendly and welcoming, and she really had a lot going on in her life of which I was unaware.

Flash forward a few more years. I called Debbi and asked if I could come for a visit. I went to her home, apologized, and asked her forgiveness for things I’d said and done in the past that had hurt her. She too apologized and asked my forgiveness, and we hugged and sobbed for a long time. If we had just done that earlier, we wouldn’t have missed so much in each other’s lives. She hadn’t attended my wedding either. My BFF and I (if you are over 40, that’s “best friend forever” *smile*) were not present for one of our most important days. We’ve moved past that, and though are lives our still very different, we keep in touch, see each other when we can, and always tell each other we love each other whether on the phone or in person.

As believers, we are commanded to forgive. There are more than 120 references in the Bible where forgiveness is mentioned. Christ forgave us while we were still sinners. How can we not show the same love and ask for forgiveness? I’m so thankful that Christ had mercy on me, a sinner, and forgave me of each and every sin. Receiving forgiveness is easy – asking for forgiveness is easy, when we remember that Christ so easily forgave us.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

~Suzie Cook