“Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” -Ephesians 4: 26-27
As Max Lucado concludes Chapter 11 of You’ll Get Through This, he takes up the topic of vengeance, noting that we want justice because “we fear that the evildoer will slip into the night, unknown and unpunished.” On the other hand, we may believe that forgiveness weakens or diminishes justice. Pastor Lucado states that this is not the case:
“Forgiveness doesn’t diminish justice; it just entrusts it to God. He guarantees the right retribution. We give too much or too little. But the God of justice has the precise prescription. . . . God never gives up on a person. Never. Long after we have moved on, God is still there, probing the conscience, stirring conviction, orchestrating redemption.”
That latter concept is an important one for us to remember. Max emphasizes that Jesus also died for those who have deeply hurt us, outrageous as that may seem. We must turn our attention away from what was done to us to what Jesus did for us. Nevertheless, Max concludes that the process of forgiveness is neither smooth nor one-directional:
“Forgiveness vacillates . . . It has fits and starts, good days and bad. Anger intermingles with love. Irregular mercy.”
Today’s question: How does Pastor Lucado’s understanding of forgiveness help you on your healing journey toward revisioning of your calling? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The Prince of Peace”
